The Beginning Of Everything
by D'MoNiQ
Summary: It wasn't Kurosaki Ichigo who Rukia first met but Karin. However, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Kurosaki family. FEM.ICHI & ShinigamiKarin. CHAPTER 11: DEFEAT!
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: Someone asked me to write about how Byakuya and Ichigo met so I decided to actually write out the plotbunny bouncing around my head.

This fic consists of short stories that interconnects. I'm too busy to actually write the whole entire fic so i'll just write them in short parts and let the readers connect them with one another. If there's any question, I'll answer them as best as I can but I seriously can't write every single scene so hints and flashbacks will be inserted. I hope the readers enjoy this.

This part focuses on Karin as the main character, who instead of Ichigo, meets Rukia in the beginning. This fic is totally AU. Even the sequences are different so please dun ask about specific scenes from the manga or anime. This is the prequel to Hunter & Prey.

Background: Ichigo is eighteen going nineteen soon and she's a rising starlet. Karin and Yuzu is now fifteen and is in high school.

Future Pairings: Renji/Rukia, Hitsugaya/Karin, Byakuya/FemIchi

**The Beginning**

"Hey, Kurosaki!"

Kurosaki Karin, age 15, scowled and glared at the group of idiots that shouted her name from across the room.

The perpetrator, a girl of the same age, grinned nastily. She held up a magazine and with the same volume of voice, asked her:

"If this is your older sister, then what the hell happened to you?" the idiots then started to snicker and titter amongst themselves.

Karin narrowed her eyes at the magazine before recognition set in. It was the youth pop music magazine that recently featured an article about _Seirênes_, her sister's band.

The dark-haired female remembered the day the article was published. Ichi-nee was pissed at how the writer only focused on her, the lead singer and Orihime, for very obvious reasons. The author sang praises to the two female teens as if they were goddesses and totally ignored the existence of the rest of the bandmates.

"'Entrancing smoky eyes'," the orange-haired singer quoted, flinging the magazine onto the table carelessly, "it's just make-up, you idiot."

In the author's defence, ever since Ichigo reached 15, she was the object of attention from both males and females alike. Her charisma, blooming figure, model-like built and height drew attention like moths to fire. And boy, did they get burned. Ichigo's hair wasn't the only thing that resembles brightly burning flames, her personality too was fiery and dangerous.

She drew people to her easily by just being there and by now, she has lost count of how many confessions she had received since hitting puberty. Many people wanted to become Ichigo's important people but only a hand full can proudly say that they are. And Ichigo was fiercely protective of these people that she cared for.

Of course, there was no one that Ichigo cared for more than her two younger sisters.

And as time passes by, the twins were growing up more and more like her.

Like Ichigo's colouring, Yuzu too inherited light hair and brown eyes from their mother. Coupled with her gentle nature, it made her beauty soft and delicate. If Ichigo smiled more and scowled less, she too could be described as such. But that would be sooo unlike her.

Karin, however, was dark haired like their father and possessed a behaviour that was the total opposite of her twin sister. Strong and determined, the fifteen-year-old was so much like her independent older sister that no one could deny that they were sisters. Not to mention, they could almost share the same features.

Only idiots would question such a thing.

Speaking of which.

Those girls has been trying to bully her for the past few months with no success. After all, Karin wasn't someone that was easily intimidated. Though it made her wonder why. Was it because she was the younger sister of a rising starlet? But they have never bothered Yuzu... and for their sake, they better not. Ah, well, it was a question she could ponder on later, if she had nothing better to do, that is.

Karin looked around the classroom, noting absentmindedly the terrified looks her other classmates were shooting at her. The last time someone said something unsightly about her older sister, Karin had beaten the crap out of the poor idiot. (It had earned her a large reprimand from the principal and a detention but it was soooo worth it)

Oh, goodie, Yuzu is not here. That means she could terrify the jeebies out of these idiots.

The bloodthristy grin that she shot them wiped all smiles from their faces as the aggressive teen strode towards them. They stared at her wide eyes, fearful and wary.

Heh, time for a little fun.

**Kurosaki Residence (Afternoon)**

"KARIN-CHAN!! My beloved daughters are home!!"

"Oh, grow up," Karin grumbled as she kicked her shoes off and dodge her father's unwanted hug at the same time.

"Tadaima!," Yuzu greeted, ignoring her father's melodrama easily as she too sidestepped her father's lunge.

The dark-haired man (seriously, Karin still wondered how the man can actually become a Doctor of his status given his mental age) started wimpering to his wife's blown-up picture, which he had stuck to the wall. Karin felt the vein at the side of her temple tick but controlled herself. That is, until he turned to the picture next to that of his wife.

"Oh, Ichigo! My sweet daughter! Your sisters are ignoring me!"

The vein burst.

"Oh, for kami's sake! Will you stop that! You make it seem as if Ichi-nee's dead!"

In true form of insanity, their father has stuck up a picture of their sister in all her glory. Right next to their late mother's memorial photo.

The poster showed the orange haired singer lying down surrounded by white flowers wearing a graceful and elegant spaghetti-strapped gown the colour of freshly fallen snow. The contrasting colours between her hair and the surrounding was really eye-catching. The expression Ichigo wore was soft and thoughtful and she was focused away from the camera to look to the side. Ichigo once commented off handedly that she didn't like the picture. It was obvious that she, like Karin, thought that the picture portrayed her to be too gentle and almost fragile, which was only half true because she was also strong and independent, something the portrait wasn't able to show.

The picture was actually taken as the cover page for their new single due in two months until the lead singer put her foot down and insisted that a picture of her entire band was to be taken instead. So this picture was scrapped off from the front page but it didn't stop Ichigo's manager from printing the poster for the fans. And one of her biggest fan was her very own father who cooed at the picture the moment he saw it, pissing the real person off immensely.

Another reason why Ichigo wasn't fond of the poster was because Ichigo's face took up more than half the poster.

Which was exactly the reason why Isshin put the poster up.

Ever since Ichi-nee's band became famous a year ago, the 18-year old was seen less and less at home, travelling from one place to another to perform live in concerts around Japan.

This was somewhat of a replacement for the MIA daughter of his. At least, that was what he claimed.

But seriously, it annoyed the hell out of Karin whenever her father did something like this. Making as if her sister is dead or something.

"But Karin-cha-"

"SHUT UP! AND TAKE THAT THING DOWN!!"

**Kurosaki Residence (Night)**

Karin yawned as she wrote down the answer to the last question. She was completing her homework for the day and was dying to get to bed. Having just played three hours of soccer before returning home to bathe and do her homework, she was dead tired.

Closing her text book, she got up from her chair and caught a glimpse of something black moving in the corner of her eye. She turned to see a purplish-black butterfly floating in through her open window.

Then, a black figure followed, appearing out of no where and landing gently into her room.

The hell!?

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

The black figure was a young girl about her age, dark haired with equally dark wide eyes and clad in a black shihakusho. She looked startled at Karin's loud question.

"You... You can see me?"

"Of course I can! Do you think I'm blind or something!?" Karin retorted, frustration building up as something unsettling stirred her stomach. She felt troubled by something, not just by the sudden appearance of this absolute stranger.

"But I'm not a human-"

"Well, yeah. I kinda figured that out when you walked in THROUGH THE FREAKING WALL!" Karin shouted when the disquieting feeling continued to grow.

"I'm a shinigami. I felt a hollow nearby-"

"WHat!? What the hell are you talking about-"

A loud crash just outside her window interrupted the 15 year old. Then a horrible screech resounded through the whole neighbourhood.

"WHAT THE HELL! WHAT IS THAT!?" Karin demanded, clamping her ears shut as the girl in black stared at her.

"You can hear that." It was said more as a statement than as a question.

"Are you crazy!? You've got to be deaf not to hear that!"

The girl who later introduced herself as Kuchiki Rukia opened her mouth to answer her but did not manage to get any word out before the house shook as something slammed into the walls of the building.

"What the-" Karin was going to go into a cursing tirade before a scream she recognise broke through the tense air.

YUZU!

She got out of her room so quickly Rukia could only wonder if the impulsive teen actually knew Shunpo.

**Outside the Kurosaki Residence**

Karin didn't care about much in the world except for a few things. One of which was her family, which included her wacky father, her sweet twin sister and her older sister whom she secretly admired but won't admit even at gunpoint.

About a year back, right after her graduation from high school and before her rise to fame, Ichigo had left for England as a transfer student to study English literature for a few months. Before she boarded the plane, she had given Karin instructions to take care of herself and her younger sister in which she had retorted back to the older female with an "Of course I will, even if you didn't say anything." The answer earned a fond smirk from her neesan and a warm ruffling hand that left her hair a bundle of mess.

At that time, it had really pissed her off that her sister would say something like that.

But right now, she would give anything to see her older sister here. Protecting her little sisters like she always did. Protecting Yuzu, her sweet little twin who was currently wenched under the monstrous arm of the thing that was now flinging the fiesty dark-haired girl around with its other arm.

Karin had ran out only seconds before she was slammed into the wall, sending her head reeling. Before she could get her bearing, the monster had grabbed her and now, she was stuck in a situation that could only be described as 'bloody fucking hell'! And to think, only minutes ago, she was just worrying about her homework.

"YUZU!" she screamed as the sobbing brown-haired girl tried to reach up to her.

The grinning monster (God, she felt like kicking his head in, if only she could get her head back into place so that it'd stop spinning) open his gigantic mouth and was about to swallow her whole when a black figure blurred in front of her.

Karin watched in horror as warm blood spilled across her startled face. The young girl in black that had been in her room hacked off the monster's arm just as the thing was about to sink sharp teeth into its meal. But instead of making its mark on the designated victim, the monster managed to bite into Karin's saviour instead.

Karin fell unsteadily onto her feet as the other dark-haired girl slumped near her, bleeding profusely from the injury.

"Oi! You alright!?" Karin shouted.

The dark-clad girl shook her head as if trying to clear it.

The monster shrieked grasping at it's amputated arm, still unwilling to free the other Kurosaki girl. Karin's worry for her fragile sister multiplied when she spied Yuzu's unconscious form though outwardly she looked alright, no bleeding or wounds.  
Karin turned to the other girl who had managed to pull herself against the wall, breathing hard.

"Oi! Do something!"

But the girl looked as if she could barely keep herself upright.

"Tell me what to do! I want to help!"

The girl looked startled at that prospect. Karin ignored the spark of irritation building in her chest for favor of the desperation that was coiling and blooming within her.

"I just want to protect Yuzu!"

Rukia held out her sword, desperation clawing at her heart. She couldn't just let the little brown-haired girl die and the look in the other girl's eyes... she couldn't just let them down, even if she didn't even know who they were.

It was then that Kuchiki Rukia came to a decision that would change their lives forever. Hers and the Kurosakis.

"I can help you by borrowing you my powers temporarily but I'll have to stab you with my zanpaktou ..."

"Then do it!" Karin shouted with no hesitation, her heart filled with fear for her younger twin.

Rukia lunged forward, piercing the dark-haired girl's chest with her zanpaktou.

The monster roared and shrieked as a sliver of light sliced through it's masked skull and down to its abdomen. Then, it started to fragment and disappear slowly.

Standing there for a moment as if dazed, Karin stared at the sword (the Shinigami called it Zanpaktou right?) in her hand, not comprehending. Then she noticed the black Shihakusho she herself was wearing.

"Oh, SHIT! Ichi-nee's going to kill me!"

Tsuzuku

I skipped all the explanations that Rukia gave Ichigo because it was much too long. So there. The first instalment. In case you're wondering were Ichi is, it will be explained in the next instalment. There'll definitely be more of her soon. Lots more.

P.S. If you find any mistakes in here, please inform me and I'll correct it the next time I log in.


	2. She Knows

This is longer than chapter 1. Anyway, the second instalment gives a slight insight on how Ichi started her career. Unbeta-ed. Tell me if there's any mistakes and I'll correct it when I log in the next time.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. i wish it was. But alas, such is life.

_"Mama, I want to learn the piano," a little orange-haired girl exclaimed as she pressed her face against the glass. Beyond the transparent barrier was an elegant display of shiny musical instruments including a large grand piano, all white with black lining. The brown-haired beauty beside the little girl laughed merrily, eyes twinkling._

_"Alright, little strawberry. we'll learn together as long as you promise not to give it up. No matter what reason."_

_Six-year-old Kurosaki Ichigo looked up into her mother's beautiful brown eyes and said:_

_"I promise, Mommy. I won't give up. No matter what."_

**Chapter 2 - She Knows**

Nearly a month after Karin became a shinigami, she idly wondered if she was getting too used to this.

Slicing the hollow in half easily, she yawned as she tried to remember the exact date when her Ichi-nee would return from Kyoto, which was where her last concert tour was to be held.

Sometime next week, she decided, just as Rukia suddenly appeared beside her, as if she had just apparated out of no where.

The original shinigami had discover that all her powers had been accidentally transfered to Karin and is now stuck in the human world with a gigai. Entering Karin's high school as a student, the other girl had been acting as Karin's guide to everything spiritual and her hollow-detector for the past month.

"Good job, Karin!" Rukia chirped. "Now, let's go home. Yuzu promised me she'll bake me a cake."

"YOU!" Karin burst, "Don't use my sister like that!"

"And I still can't believe that you actually told such as stupid lie," Karin grumbled loudly as she remembered how Rukia gave a sob story. The worse thing was that her father and sister actually believed it!  
"Grrr..."

"My, you're grumpy today."

"Oh, shut up!"

* * *

"Tadaima!" Karin shouted just as Rukia said: "Ojamashimasu!"

The two dark haired girls removed their shoes and placed them into the rack.

"Come on," Karin said, tugging Rukia's wrist.

They were about to go upstairs to the room Karin shared with Rukia when someone called from the living room.

"Karin?"

The 15-year-old turned around to see her older sister sitting on the sofa looking expectantly at her.

"Ichi-nee!"

The orange-haired young woman smiled, smirked actually, at her younger sister in greeting. The dark-haired teen quickly let go of Rukia's hand and actually SKIPPED towards her older sister's side, making Rukia gape at her uncharacteristic behaviour.

"You're early! Aren't you scheduled to come home next week?"

"Next month, actually," the older teen replied easily.

"Then why are you back?" Karin asked, bewildered.

"Oh, there was a bit of a problem," at that, the famous Kurosaki lifted her eyes to meet with Rukia's. The young lady jump in surprise, her eyes wide like a deer looking into incoming headlights.

Rukia had been surreptiously observing the orange-haired Kurosaki, who was the talk of the school.

Dressed in a simple white and blue baby-tee and jeans, the celebrity looked like every normal teen. She was tall for a girl though, at 174cm, she was taller than Rukia and Karin by about a head. Coupled with a slim figure, her build resembles something like that of those supermodels most of the girls at school aspired to be. Tall and willowy.

But all that aside, Rukia found that the taller female's most outstanding feature was her orange hair. Her fringe was short barely touching her eyebrows but the right side was longer, framing her sharp face while the back was long, falling straight down past her shoulders in silky locks. On her left ear was four hoop piercings while a long thin chain was looped into the three pierced holes on her right ear. Her pose was relaxed and her smile, which could only be described as a smirk, was warm and friendly.

But that all changed, the moment their eyes met.

The light-haired singer stiffened and the line between her brows deepened slightly. It was subtle and unobvious outwardly but Rukia could see the wariness in her eyes. It made her feel extremely uneasy, as if the singer knew what she was.

"Who is your friend?" Karin's older sister asked almost nonchalantly. No one else, except Rukia, noticed the brief pause.

"That's Rukia, she's my classmate. She's from Akita!" Karin explained hastily, trying to cover as much as possible from her older sister, who always seemed to know what is going on without even being there.

"Oh?"

"The room she's renting is currently under reconstruction. She's staying here with us for a while until she can get another place to stay," Karin continued when one of Ichigo's eyebrows lifted in question.

"Pleased to meet you, Kurosaki-san," Rukia curtsied in greeting, her fake sparkly smile set in place. The corner of Ichigo's lips twitched as if amused.

"Just call me Ichigo or it'll get confusing. And nice to meet you too, Rukia-san," the singer said with a lazy smile, tilting her head to one side as she visually examined Rukia. Rukia felt herself twitched, unable to control herself.

"Please just call me Rukia," she returned politely. Ichigo nodded as if agreeing to do so, then turned back to her dark-haired sister.

"Rukia-san is now staying in your room?"

"Un," Karin nodded, blinking at her sister's sudden question.

"You know, you could just use my room."

"But that's your room," Yuzu interjected, appearing suddenly from the kitchen.

"I can stay at the condo."

"But Daddy will be devastated! Daddy wanted us to be together when you're in Karakura," Yuzu said, pouting slightly. Ichigo ruffled her youngest sister's hair.

"Actually, my manager wants me to stay there for security reasons. Recently, 'hime's being harassed by some pervert and he's worried for me. Though I wonder why. No one in their right mind would dare come after me, ne?" she said jokingly.

Karin stiffened. Did her sister just mentioned a stalker? She felt a surge of protectiveness flow through her but quelled it. Her sister was one of the top fighters in Karakura, there's no way she couldn't beat a stalking pervert.

"But Ichi-nee!" Yuzu was now resorting to puppy eyes.

Ichigo laughed weakly, feeling her weak resolve waver even further. It was obvious that she didn't want to stay away from her family as well. The russet-haired teen rubbed the back of her head, a habit she acquired years ago that she never managed to change. However, she was only relaxed enough to act this way when among her important people. Even if a stranger is amongst them, she didn't feel threatened enough to be uncomfortable in the presence of this Kuchiki Rukia.

"How's 'hime, then?" Karin changed the subject suddenly. Yuzu jumped, wondering how she could overlook one of Ichigo's best friends who was considered part of the family, a slightly ditzy older sister.

"She's fine. She's with Tatsuki right now, having dinner with her family," Ichigo easily waved their worries away. "We've been keeping an eye on her and we've got someone working on finding the pervert."

Yuzu and Karin relaxed.

"Maa, don't worry about us," the russet-haired Kurosaki said, settling into the sofa in an attempt to get more comfortable. "So, what has been happening lately?"

Rukia watched quietly as the twins launched into a tirade on what had happened in school, what their wacky father has been up to lately and how Yuzu just received another confession from a boy from another school.

* * *

The Kurosaki family dinner, Rukia found out, was a very noisy affair, more so than normal. Kurosaki Isshin loved giving random hugs to his daughters, who more often than not, retaliated with violence. Kurosaki Ichigo loved teasing her sisters, Karin in particular. Even Yuzu's more playful side was drawn out by her older sister's presence. And Karin, Rukia found, smiled more.

"You want ice-cream, Rukia-san?"

Rukia jerked in surprise, looking up from where she sat on the sofa. Kurosaki Ichigo stood behind her, looking down at her. The upside down view gave Rukia a strange feeling. Ichigo's unusual orange locks curled around her exotic features like a halo in the light of the setting sun, making her look almost angelic. But Rukia felt wary of this young woman, whose hidden powers were bubbling just beneath the surface. She could feel it, the moment she had stepped into the family room the moment they met. Even now, she could feel just how dangerous this young woman was.

"Vanilla ice-cream?"

Rukia jumped in surprise as a cold bowl was suddenly pressed against her forehead by the strawberry.

"Um, thanks," the dark-haired girl said uncertainly, accepting the bowl quickly. The other female then disappeared to get more of the dessert.

Rukia poked at the milky confectionary with her spoon, unsure of how to go about things now. It was unsettling how the Kurosaki family accepted her so easily and so seamlessly. Even the young woman who made her nervous was unquestioningly welcoming her into the family.

It was odd.

"Don't like vanilla, Rukia-san?"

Rukia shook her head quickly, taking a spoonful of the sticky dessert. The cold ice cream melted smoothly on her tongue, the smell and taste of the sweet lingering even after she swallowed the spoonful.

"It's delicious," she said shyly to her partner's older sister, who smiled that perpetual smirk of hers.

"Ichi-nee! Play a song for us!" Yuzu pleaded, pulling her sister towards the small piano set against a corner of the family room.

Rukia often wondered about the musical instrument. For the past month she had stayed in the Kurosaki residence no one had touched the piano. At least, now she knew who it belonged to.

"What song do you want to hear?" the russet-haired teen asked her younger sister.

"Something happy," Yuzu replied quickly, settling on the bench with her older sister.

A soft melodious tune started filling the house and Yuzu jumped slightly, excitedly. It was a duet she recognised and sang before with her older sister. Together, slowly, they sang:

_Mikazuki no senaka ni mo tareka katte,  
Mita koto no nai sekai goran nasai,_

Then, a louder tune begun, almost startling Rukia. Ichigo turned to Yuzu,

_"Oshiete"_ she sang, and Yuzu replied: _"Nani ga shiri tai?"_

_"Kyou no sora wa genki?"_ she titled her head, as if really asking a question.

_"Onaji sa. Kinou mo kyou mo owaru koto wa nai,"_ Yuzu was now bouncing in her seat, in time with the tune.

_"Oshiete"_ Ichigo begin again.

_"Nani ga shiri tai?"_

_"Tori ga tobu no wa naze?" _

_"Yogoreta sekai kara sou tabidatsu tame_." And then they started singing together again:

_Me wo tojite, mimi sumashi saa yuku yo ichi, ni no san!_

_Mikazuki no senaka ni mo tareka katte,  
Mita koto no nai sekai wo goran nasai,  
Mada shira nai koto bakari,  
Kowai moshimo ochichatte suikomare tara?  
Hajimete suu kuuki wo omoidashite,  
Futari nara yareru hazu,_

Rukia found herself tapping her foot to the beat, caught in the singers' joined voices. One a high soprano, the testament of a young girl going through her adolescence and the other a low smooth practiced voice, the voice of a young woman well versed with singing.

_"Kikasete."_

_"Nani ga kikitai?"_ Yuzu asked back lightly, head bobbing to the tune her sister was playing on the piano.

_"Doudemo ii hanashi. Fushigi ne, koushiteru to kokoro ga yasugaru no."_ the russet-haired singer replied, then continued: _"Kikasete." _

_"Nani ga kikitai?"_

_"Korekara no mirai wo." _

_"Onaji sa. Kinou mo kyou mo owaru koto wa nai."_

_Mata hitotsu mono shirisa mada tarinai motto shiritai._

_Mikazuki no senaka ni mo tareka katte,  
Itsumo to chigau sekai wo goran nasai,  
Hora mata hirogatteku,  
Nani ga taisetsu na no ka kiduketa no nara,  
Ii koto bakari wa nakute mo hora,  
Tsuyoku yasashiku nareru,_

As the two continued to sing at the top of their voices, uncaring that they were going slightly out of tune, Karin laughed and Rukia wondered if this was how having a family should feel like.

_Mikazuki no senaka ni mo tareka katte,  
Mita koto no nai sekai wo goran nasai,  
Mada shira nai koto bakari,  
Kowai moshimo ochichatte suikomare tara?  
Hajimete suu kuuki wo omoidashite,  
Futari nara yareru hazu..._

* * *

"Night, girls."

"Night, Ichi-nee," Yuzu hugged her sister before skipping to her room upstairs.

"Night, Ichi-nee," Karin said, just as Rukia chirped, "Good Night, Ichigo-san."

"Night, Karin, Rukia-san."

"Ichigo, stay at home tonight," Isshin insisted, for once sounding like an adult. Karin stopped at the top of the stairs to eavesdrop on their conversation. She waved Rukia away towards their room, who blinked but shrugged and left.

She could hear Ichigo sigh.

"Daddy, I have things to do-"

"That you can do some other day," he interrupted, turning away to head for his room. "Stay tonight. Get some rest away from your work tonight."

"Alright, dad."

Karin grinned as the conversation drifted upstairs, then she headed to her room to tell Rukia that they were sharing a room again.

If there was a slight skip to her gait, she would insist that it was because her leg still hurt from fighting hollow all day.

* * *

It was eleven when Rukia got the message.

"A hollow has just appeared," she announced to Karin, who got up from her chair. Rukia pulled on her glove and pushed Karin's soul out quickly, leaving the dark-haired Kurosaki's body slumped on the chair as if she had fallen asleep at her table.

They jumped out of the second floor window, landing easily and sprinting towards the direction indicated, not realising that someone from the house was currently watching them as they ran across the street.

They found the rampaging hollow easily but getting rid of it was harder than Karin had expected. The goddamned thing was just too fast at running. And no matter how hard Karin aimed, she couldn't get a good shot at the fleeing hollow.

"Rukia, do you think you have enough reiatsu to bind the freaking bastard!!" she asked to Rukia.

"Yes, but I'll need him to stop for a few seconds," the other dark haired girl said. Karin thought for a while and nodded.

"I'll try to stall him while you work on the kidou," Karin jumped high, aiming to land in front of the hollow.

As expected, the hollow stopped but before either dark-haired girls could do anything, something unexpected happened.

Long strips of crimson and black cloths appeared out of no where to wrap around the monster's neck, legs and thorax, effectively immobilising its limbs. The hollow tipped from imbalance and fell onto it's face with an ear-piercing screech.

Karin paused for a second then without thinking too much rushed forward and slashed downwards, neatly cutting the hollow's mask in half.

"What was that!?" Karin demanded in the aftermath, as the hollow and the strips of cloths evaporated into thin air.

"I don't know," Rukia shot back, eyes wide, "I've never seen anything like that before."

A few meters away, standing on the roof of a building was a figure clad in black. Floating gently around the person was two long strips of cloths, one pitch black and the other crimson red. As if it had a mind of its own, the strips moved and wrapped around the female's neck like a scarf, swirling around her like a protective lover.

The observer's brown eyes didn't leave the two figures that was currently making their way back to the Kurosaki residence.

Then, just as she was about to turn away, a shriek pierced through the air. The crimson and black binds floating about her shot out to wrap itself around the hollow that had suddenly appeared behind her.

And tore the masked monster apart easily.

She didn't even lift a hand.

As the hollow disappated into the wind, Kurosaki Ichigo pushed her orange hair away from her face and scowled.

"Ano baka..."

Tsuzuku

Author's Note: Ichi is quite out of character ne. I have reasons for that. One is because she's a she. I don't know why but it seems that keeping secrets and acting nice, even if you're not, seems to be a inborn female skill. Another is because she's a celebrity, her public face is often a mask that she uses everyday. This is what she often presents to Rukia, whom she doesn't know so well, yet. Later, a more violent and loud Ichigo will present herself. Also, I'd like to think that she's a bit more doting of her sisters than the male Ichigo, that's why she's so affectionate with Yuzu while with Karin, she's more of the teasing older sibling.

Mikazuki Rhapsody is sung the the duet Rythem. The translation by Jonathan Wu is:

As you lay down against the back of the crescent moon,  
take a look at the things you never saw before.

"Tell me" "Is there something you want to know?"  
"Isn't today's sky beautiful?"  
"Nothing's the same today once yesterday has ended."  
"Tell me" "Is there something you want to know?"  
"Why do birds fly?"  
"They travel away from the filth on the earth"

So close your eyes, open your ears, 1,2,3 let's go!

As you lay down against the back of the crescent moon,  
take a look at the things you never saw before,  
don't you know these simple things yet,  
or are you scared of falling off?  
Sitting here with you, I remember,  
the first time I had a proper breath of this air.

"Listen" "Do you want to hear something?"  
"You can talk about anything you like. It will miraculously,  
put your heart at ease"  
"Listen" "Do you want to hear something?"  
"From now on, in the future"  
"Nothing's the same today once yesterday has ended."

I want to one thing, but it ain't enough, let me know more than this!

As you lay down against the back of the crescent moon,  
take a look at the forever changing world,  
look at it spread out all the way,  
If you can realize what's important,  
and you can't find even one good thing,  
then be stronger, and kinder from now on.

As you lay down against the back of the crescent moon,  
take a look at the things you never saw before,  
don't you know these simple things yet,  
or are you scared of falling off?  
Sitting here with you, I remember,  
the first time I had a proper breath of this air.

Ichi's voice shouldn't be as high as the duet's. As I imagined it, it should be a low alto voice, almost husky. Like Mika Nakashima? Think Nana. Heh.

Anyway, please review. I'd really appreciate it.


	3. Secrets

I told myself that this would just be short stories but I'm getting way over myself. Now that I've planned the whole entire thing, it's taking more than 20 chapters now. Grrr... anyway, I'm still cutting a lot of scenes. Please read notes at the bottom. Thanks.

Dislcaimer: I own nothing. Nyada! Happy?

_Rain poured unto them as blood and water spread and seeped into the ground._

_Ichigo stared at the two bodies lying on the ground, uncomprehending._

_"Mama! Mama!"_

_She grasped her mother's blouse tightly and shook her mother's still body desperately, rain and tears clouding her eyes._

_"Child, you must return to your body quickly."_

_She looked down to meet a pair of golden eyes._

**Chapter 3 - Secrets**

"You were supposed to take care of Karakura AND keep my sisters safe, you asshole," Ichigo glowered at the unshaven man.

"Such words from a celebrity," Urahara laughed easily, as if uncaring that a powerful woman was currently angry at him.

In response to his words, Ichigo abruptly stopped his laughter by lifting her fist and giving him a punch to his nose. The others settled around them didn't even lift a single brow from that action, too used to Ichigo's violence.

"Enough?" she asked with a haughty expression.

"Maa..., Ichi-kun, you're sooo mean," Urahara whimpered, clutching his throbbing nose, "ever since you've become famous, you've been getting meaner and meaner."

"You grow tougher," Ichigo corrected with a deadpanned expression, "if you want to survive in the entertainment world."

She sounded as if she had quoted that from somewhere but Urahara didn't say that. He wasn't that stupid or suicidal.

"And it still stands that you didn't do your job of protecting my sisters if Rukia-san had to sacrifice her powers to help Karin survive the hollow attack," apparently, she could not be distracted so easily.

Then she paused for a second, contemplating something.

"Unless it is deliberate," at that, Ichigo's eyes narrowed and if possible, her dark frown deepened. Urahara felt sweat drip from his forehead.

"Ah hah hah hah. Of course not, Why would I do that?" 'Damn!' he thought to himself, a woman's intuition is a dangerous thing.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed further.

Urahara was now dripping cold sweat. But fortunately for him, before he could break down and confess, Ichigo turned away from him.

"Fine, but you better make up for it by training Karin to use her powers," she said, brushing her side fringe away from her eyes again. "She needs to learn the name of her Zanpaktou at least."

"Ah, but Kurosaki-kun, how am I going to do that?" he said nonchalantly, "I'm only a shopkeeper."

As Ichigo's golden eyes turn back to the 'shopkeeper', the others wondered if Urahara REALLY was that stupid AND suicidal.

"Well, you better think of something as this is your fault," she snapped, "And you better do something quick before Seireitei takes action or I'm gonna to skin you alive, literally."

Ichigo then proceeded to ignore his spluttering.

"Has sensei been dropping by lately?" Ichigo asked suddenly, looking around as if she expected her teacher to jump out suddenly from a box or something. Though she wouldn't really put her teacher beyond doing just that if only to give them all a scare.

The sandy-haired man stopped his rambling, shaking his head obediently.

"Ceh, where is she when I need her advice?" Ichigo said, drinking her now-lukewarm tea. Then, she set her empty cup down and got up.

"We have to go, we've got practice in two hours," she nodded to her teammates, who groaned.

"We just got here," Keigo whined like a child from where he sat, then proceeded to show his rebellion by falling onto his face and flailing his arms while wringling on the ground like a worm. The others watched with amusement as Ichigo frowned at the squirming idiot.

"We're just starting, we have to put more effort in our work."

"Ichigo's right," Tatsuki seconded, getting up from her seat. Orihime nodded enthusiastically while Chad just... rumbled his agreement.

"Come on, Keigo," the dark-haired Mizuiro, who was sitting the closest to him, prodded him with his feet, "before the Queen kicks you out of the shop and into the car."

"Yes, I seemed to remember the last time that happened, you complained of pain on your butt for days," Ishida added, pushing his glasses up.

"It did hurt!!" Keigo protested loudly before freezing when Ichigo loomed over him like a dark cloud.

"Then get going!"

"Eeep, yes, ma'am!"

"What a slave driver."

"I heard that, Ishida!'

* * *

A week later, the group sans a certain strawberry was settling down in Urahara Shoten again when Urahara appeared from behind the shoji door with his ever-present hat and fan.

"My, Tatsuki-chan, what are you doing here?" Urahara asked, "Not that I'm not happy that two beautiful women are here today at my shop, but what are all of you doing here?

Chad, Mizuiro and Keigo blinked as Orihime giggled at his words. Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

"Ichigo gave us all a break today," Orihime chirped.

"Yes, it's the anniversary," Tatsuki added quietly, looking down at the cup of tea that Tessai had just brought in.

Silence echoed through the room.

"Sou ka," Urahara replied offhandedly. That would mean the Annual Picnic, right?, he thought to himself, idly wondering what Rukia would be doing now that Karin is taking a day off too.

"Well, then. Did all of you come for a little practice then?"

"Yes, we did. If you don't mind, we would like to make use of your basement."

"Very well. Tessai, please lead them down."

* * *

"Rukia, you don't have to come," Karin grumbled.

"But hollows don't take holidays," Rukia insisted.

"HEY! Are you guys gonna lag all day?"

Karin glared at her enthusiatically waving father. Her two fair-haired sisters were further up in front waiting for them, the taller of the two was carrying a large picnic basket.

As Karin continued to mumble under her breath as she trekked up the slope, Rukia hurried at her heels wondering about the heavy atmosphere that had enveloped the family even though they were supposed to be having a fun picnic together. As it was, it wasn't every day that the twins could spend time with their older sister as Ichigo-san was often absent from home, too busy with work in Tokyo.

The ex-shinigami tilted her head to the side, pondering.

That morning, both Karin and her was awaken from their sleep by the sound of the piano. As Rukia lay in her make-shift bed, she could make out the soft words that were being sung:

_"Hontou no ai nara aisuru hito wo jiyuu ni shita hou ga ii_

_Soredemo modottekuru nara unmei,  
modoranakutemo unmei._

_Anata ni totte tawainai tatta hitokoto de watashi wa,  
risou ya yume wo BARABARA ni sareta,  
kanashisa ga munashisa ni, munashisa ga tsuyogari ni kawatte,  
"sayounara" ni naru._

_There is just one melody,  
sekaichuu no oto ga kiesatte tatta hitotsu no uta ga nokoru nara,  
sore wa just one melody,  
PURAIDO wo sute anata ni ieru "gomen nasai" no neiro darou."_

Rukia shifted slightly, to look at her partner who was staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. Was that tears in those dark eyes? Rukia wondered worriedly as the song continued:

_"Anata to aruita umibe wo hitori de otozurete mita keredo,  
nigotta umi eto omoide wo nagashitemo nami ni uchiagerareta._

_Narenai hitori no jikan anata wa imagoro nani wo shiteru,  
kininaru kedo denwa sura dekinai.  
Kono mama isso dareka to koi ni ochiteshimaeba ii no ni,  
kokoro ga ugokanai._

_There is just one melody,  
oosei no waraigoe de sae mo kakikesenai senritsu ga aru no nara,  
sore wa just one melody,  
kioku no hate kara anata ga yobu watashi no namae no neiro darou."_

The song was getting louder, reverberating through the house. Rukia's frowned harder. The voice that carried through was filled with sadness.

_"Kono mama isso dareka to koi ni ochiteshimaeba ii no ni,  
kokoro ga ugokanai,_

_There is just one melody,  
sekaichuu no oto ga kiesatte tatta hitotsu no uta ga nokoru nara,  
Just one melody,  
oosei no waraigoe de sae mo kakikesenai senritsu ga aru no nara,  
Just one melody,  
tashikani nokoru eien no uta,  
sore wa haruka takaku ni mau tori ga,  
futatabi modottekita toki ni saezuru,  
"aishiteru" no neiro darou."_

The sound of the piano slowed. Rukia had to strained her ears to hear the last of the lyrics:

_"Hontou no ai nara aisuru hito wo jiyuu ni shita hou ga ii..."_

* * *

Daddy Isshin, as he had insisted her to call him, told them that they were going for a picnic when Rukia and Karin finally went downstairs to have breakfast with the family. As usual, the man was very chirpy but Ichigo-san was quiet and Yuzu's smile was visibly strained. Even Karin was grumpier than usual.

The atmosphere was beginning to make Rukia choke.

She sighed, dropping her head to her chest. Then blinked.

Someone was petting her head.

She looked up at curious brown eyes. She could detect worry lurking within too.

"Are you alright, Rukia-san?"

Shouldn't I be asking you that, Ichigo-san? she thought to herself as memory of the sad song came to her mind.

But she didn't say anything, just shaking her head and giving a shaky smile to the young woman she had became fond of. Ichigo-san would often come back bringing sweet treats home for her sisters and Rukia, treating her like her one of her own sisters. Head pats, little nudges and even teasing her whenever the redhead was resting at home, away from the hectic work of song-writing, recordings and interviews.

"It's nothing, Ichigo-san."

The redhead gave her an equally strained smile as she continued to walk towards their destination. Karin and Yuzu was now several feet in front of them, chatting irritably with their father (Karin) and giggling at his insane antics (Yuzu).

"Do you know where we are going today?" the singer asked Rukia. The dark-haired girl looked up and shook her head.

Ichigo reluctantly smiled. The shorter girl was growing on her. She reminded Ichigo of Karin so much, it was hard not to treat her like a little sister.

"We're going to visit our mother's grave. It's her death anniversary."

* * *

Normally, if her handphone beeped to signal any nearby hollow, Rukia would attend to it like every other day without any objections. But today, she hoped, ever since her conversation with Ichigo-san, that there would not be any hollow detection nearby.

But alas, luck was not on their side that day.

The signal came, when they were finally settling down for their picnic after finishing their prayers to their late mother.

"Karin," she whispered, desperately trying to get the other dark-haired girl's attention. Unfortunately, Karin was busy berating her father about something.

"Karin!," she tried again, not noticing Ichigo looking up from where she was helping Yuzu unpack the picnic basket. She tried again, this time pulling on the other girl's sleeve.

"Karin!"

"What!?" Karin snapped as she turned towards Rukia. She didn't need words to communicate with her partner. She just held up her phone and the other girl immediately knew what was happening. Karin's expression turned darker and she looked ready to kill.

"Let's go to the toilet," Karin announced loudly before pulling her friend towards the location of the hollow.

"Do you need Daddy to go with you, darling!?"

"NO!! STAY WHERE YOU ARE, PERVERT!"

"Karin...," Yuzu whispered softly, looking forlorn. She felt as if her twin was abandoning her. Always with the other dark-haired girl no matter where they went. In school or at home. It made her want to cry sometimes.

Then a tapered hand flopped onto her head affectionately, making her look up.

"Ichi-nee," she said, pouting when her sister ruffled her hair.

"I'll go with you if you want," her older sister said with her usual smile. The youngest Kurosaki beamed. Though it wasn't the same, she still had her older sister, who always remembered her, alway dote on her and sing to her.

"Okay."

* * *

"There's no hollow," Karin growled.

"But... But the signal..."

"Shit with that stupid phone! You interrupted everything for this!" Karin shouted in frustration. She stomped back towards the location where her family would be, leaving Rukia to stare at her phone in bewilderment and irritation. What the hell was going on?

Karin continued to curse as she trudge back towards the picnic site.

"Stupid! Can't believe the nerve!" she grumbled as she looked for her body. Then she paused. There was someone beyond the thicket.

Pushing away the shrubs, Karin's dark eyes widen. A little girl was about to jump from the cliff!

"Hey, wait!" she shouted without thinking, abandoning the search for her body to run out towards the little figure.

"Don't do it!"

The little girl turned slightly, eyes doll-like and face motionless.

"Hey! Don't jump!" Karin stopped directly in front of the girl, only a few feet away. The little girl turned around to face her directly, quietly assessing her.

"You can see me," she whispered, her lips stretching in an eerie parody of a smile.

Karin froze. The hair on the back of her neck was standing. Her instincts was telling her to run. But she couldn't bring herself to move.

"You..."

"You're a shinigami..."

Karin's eyes widened. She had totally forgotten that normal humans couldn't see her as a shinigami!

But the litle girl can see her...

"What the heck are you!?"

* * *

"What is taking them so long?" Yuzu asked, tilting her head to the side cutely.

Ichigo stood up, eyes narrowed. Then, she smiled, wiping her frown away easily.

"I'll go and look for them," she motioned, ignoring her father's proclamation about following her to look for her wayward sister and friend.

"We won't take long," she said, knocking her blubbering father down onto the picnic mat. "Just wait here and we'll be back in a minute."

Then Ichigo walked off, hands in the pocket of her jeans. As if she was going for a walk.

* * *

Karin rolled to the side as a tentacle smashed right into the place where she had just been kneeling. She clutched at her wounded side, cursing at the pain and blood that was gushing out. She had been tricked. The little kid was just a fake decoy for the goddamn hollow to lure people with spiritual powers in! She hastily wiped the sweat that was dripping into her eyes. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't get close to that thing! Those tentacles need to go!

She jumped as one of those said tentacles landed close to her and slashed down, decapitating the limb. There!

But then, the tentacle she severed begin to grow back.

The hollow laughed as Karin cursed.

"It's useless to struggle, shinigami!" the stupid thing bellowed in victory. "I'll have you for dinner!"

The dark-haired shinigami ducked quickly from the tentacles, still cursing. Where was Rukia when she needed her?

"Karin!"

Oh, right on time, she thought, right before a tentacle slammed into her gut and sent her into the bushes not far from where Rukia had appeared.

"Stupid ...hole!" Karin struggled to climb out of the thorny shrubs.

"Karin, are you alright?" Rukia helped pull the other dark-haired girl out. Karin scowled darkly, looking very much like her older sister when she was having a very difficult time with her work.

"Do I look alright to you!?" she snapped. "Bl00dy A..hole! I'm going to kill him!"

"You, little girl?" the monstrous thing guffawed annoying, waving his 'bait' tauntingly. "Little shinigami, you don't have what it takes to kill me."

"Is that so?"

The words were spoken by a very familiar voice but in an extremely cold tone that made Karin wince even before she turned to look at the speaker.

Rukia gaped and Karin's eyes widen as she took in her older sister's appearance. Black shihakushou. Even with the abscence of the zanpaktou, there was no doubt that her sister was wearing the shinigami uniform. But what was with the black and red strips of cloths around her sister's wrists?

Wait.

**_Flashback_**

_Long strips of crimson and black cloths appeared out of no where to wrap around the monster's neck, legs and thorax, effectively immobilising its limbs. The hollow then tipped from imbalance and fell onto it's face with an ear-piercing screech._

_**End of Flashback**_

Karin didn't move from the spot she was standing as she stared at her sister.

A shinigami. Her sister. Since when?

"Ichi-nee..."

Her sister's golden eyes flickered to her for a second before reverting to the hollow that was threatening her little sister's life.

"I've been looking for you for a very long time, Grand Fisher," Ichigo said, almost whispering.

Karin recognised the tone to be one Ichigo used when she was really livid. She had only used it once before in front of Karin. That was when she found Karin being beaten up by a group of yankees two years ago. The redhead nearly killed the idiots. The only thing that stopped her at that time was the fact that Karin was hurt and needed medical attention.

"You said that Karin does not have what it takes to kill you," she continued, ignoring the two dark-haired audience she had.

Karin's attention was suddenly diverted when the hollow begin to shriek as its 'bait' was abruptly severed from it's head.

"But I do."

The orange-haired death god didn't even move from her spot before Grand Fisher's arm was severed from its thorax.

"And I have a score to settle with you," Ichigo's eyes was now golden.

**Tsuzuku**

Well, that's the death of Grand Fisher. He didn't manage to run away and was killed by our beloved strawberry. I'm not going to write about that. Frankly, I suck at writing battle scenes so I'm not going to attempt to torture you guys by writing them. Anyway, Ichigo fought and killed Grand Fisher so that stupid hollow is not going to make another appearance again, that's all you need to know. The next instalment will be the aftermath of this battle and Karin will meet Urahara.

This chapter also has a hint of who Ichi's sensei is. heh.

If you think that Ichi is being to affectionate of Rukia. Well, it kinda occurred to me that if Ichi is no longer Rukia's love interest, the relationship between them would most likely be something between siblings. Rukia kinda reminds me of Karin at times. Willful, resourceful and independent. Anyway, I thought to write along the lines of Ichigo being like the older sister that Rukia did not know of. hint hint. Of course, Ichi's no replacement for Hisana. She's entirely too different. Her strength, her determination and her willfulness sets her apart from Hisana. Anyway, I think I'm giving out too much spoilers already.

So, until the next instalment. Unfortunately, I'll be having exams all week, so I'll be unable to update until the week after next. Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Sore jya, mata ne.

Btw, "One Melody" is by Angela Aki. Though this song is written for a lover, I felt that the song was appropriate for the atmosphere. You can hear it at Youtube. It's a very beautiful song. The Translation goes like this:

If it's true love, it's better to set the person you love free  
And if he returns despite that, its fate  
If he doesn't, its fate too

One single word that's trival to you  
Shatter my ideals and dreams into pieces  
As sorrow changes into hollowness,  
And hollowness into pretended strength  
It becomes "goodbye"

There is just one melody  
If all the sounds in the world were to disappear  
And only one song were to remain  
That'll be just one melody  
And it's probably the tone of me throwing away my pride  
To say "I'm sorry" to you

Alone, I tried visiting the seashore  
Where we used to walk together  
Letting my memories flow into the murky sea  
But the crashing waves brought them back

I can't get used to being alone  
Although I can't stop thinking about what you'd be doing now  
I can't even give you a call  
If only I can just fall in love with someone else  
But my heart won't move

There is just one melody  
If there's a rhythmn that can't be drowned  
Even by the loudest crowd of laughters  
That'll be just one melody  
And it's probably the tone of you calling my name  
From the deepest depth of my memory

If only I can just fall in love with someone else  
But my heart won't move

There is just one melody  
If all the sounds in the world were to disappear  
And only one song were to remain  
Just one melody  
If there's a rhythmn that can't be drowned  
Even by the loudest crowd of laughters  
Just one melody  
A song of eternity that'll remain through the ages  
And that's the tone of "I love you"  
Sung by the high flying birds  
When they return once again

If it's true love, it's better to set the person you love free


	4. Revealing Secrets

_Ichigo panted as she tightened her grip on her sword, golden-brown eyes lethal as she glared at her sensei._

_The other female just gave her a toothy smirk, beckoning the 12-year-old._

_"Don't just stand there, Gaki!"_

_Ichigo gritted her teeth in frustration. Then, with a loud battle cry, she lifted her zanpaktou with fatigued arms that felt like lead and charged towards the older woman._

_Seconds later, she was lying on her back on the ground, unable to move._

_It hurts. So much. Even breathing hurts._

_"Oi, get up."_

_Ichigo just blinked at the golden eyes looking down at her._

_"You want to get stronger, isn't it?"_

_Ichigo couldn't even bring herself to nod to the question, only a tired whimper managed to escape her lips._

_"Why do you want to become stronger, Ichigo?"_

_"Well!?"_

_Ichigo flinched. She tried to swallow but her throat was dry. Taking a deep breath, she answered her teacher._

_"...to protect..." she gasped out, "want to protect... my sisters...my family... friends..."_

_"Then get up. Don't stay down. Or you'll die."_

**Chapter 4 - Revealing Secrets**

Karin stared in disbelief as her sister glared coldly at the hollow before her. The previously-arrogant hollow was now reduced to a whimpering mess without limbs. In less than five minutes!

What the hell is going on!?

"My wards are special," her sister explained idly, ignoring the pleas from the pathetic lump beneath her foot. She held up the red and black strips in one hand. "One designed to limit shinigami powers and the other to bind hollows." (1)

Then, she lifted her foot and bend down to the limbless monster, a cold smile on her otherwise impassive face.

"Together, they will tear apart any normal hollows," her smile turned cruel, "especially weak ones."

Then, she straightened, face once more emotionless.

"Grand Fisher, I'll always remember you," her sister whispered, raising her right hand towards the sky. "After all, you killed my mother."

Karin's eyes widen.

What!!

The two dark-haired shinigami watched as the crimson and black strips of wards around Ichigo's wrist begin to unwind andswirl above her hand to formed the shape of a large cleaver. Then, they fell away to reveal an unbelievably large Zanpaktou without a hilt.

Karin and Rukia gaped.

"Zangetsu."

Grand Fisher's shriek was sharp and ear-splitting as his body was cleaved in half. Effortlessly. As if it was never there.

As the hollow disappated, still struggling in denial, the whites of Ichigo's eyes turned black and her pupils golden.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, they were her normal brown. Inwardly, she was glad that neither Karin nor Rukia could see her face at the moment.

She breathed out.

"Sayonara."(2)

* * *

"What the hell is going on!? When did you become a shinigami!?" Karin shouted as she followed her sister through the thicket.

"I'll explain later. We better get back now. Yuzu and Dad is waiting," Ichigo said dismissively, pulling her little sister along.

"And what was that about the hollow killing mom!?" Karin demanded, harshly tugging her arm away from her older sister. "I want an explanation NOW!"

Rukia stood away from them, wary of both sisters' temper and shocked from what she had just witnessed.

Ichigo turned to her stubborn dark-haired sister and sighed.

"It's going to be a long story, Karin. I promise you that I'll explain everything to you later."

Karin opened her mouth to protest but Ichigo stopped her by bringing her hand up.

"Questions later. Not today. For now, you have to spend time with your younger sister, whom you have abandoned for quite sometime and is extremely worried."

With those words, the light-haired young woman left, leaving behind her upset sibling and a confused shinigami in human form.

* * *

"Ichigo."

The redheaded young woman looked up from the her mother's grave, her small smile strained and sad.

"Daddy."

Ichigo almost never used that affectionate term when calling him. The only times she did was when she desperately wanted something to be done her way or when she was upset and unhappy. It was obvious that she was feeling the latter right now. Without a word, Kurosaki Isshin wrapped his arms around his oldest daughter who returned the affection, closing her eyes tightly and wrapping her arms around her father.

Ever since his firstborn was a child, she was a cheerful little girl who always had a smile for everyone. She drew people to her with her happiness like honey drew bees. But after his wife's death, his pleasant little Ichigo tranformed to an independent, fierce fighter who would never back down or show any signs of weakness. Not even to her own father. Sometimes, it hurt Isshin when he thought about the change that his darling little girl had to go through. All the pain and the suffering so that she could protect her little sisters.

"I'm sorry, daddy. I'm so sorry."

Isshin buried his face into his daughter's russet locks.

"So am I, honey. So am I."

* * *

It was the next day before Ichigo called her younger sister and Rukia out for an explanation. By then, Karin was about to burst in curiosity and anxiety. The same could be said for Rukia.

"There's a place that we need to go before I can start explaining," Ichigo said, ushering the dark-haired girls along.

"Ichi-nee, how long have you been a Shinigami?" Rukia asked, finally unable to stop herself from asking. She didn't take notice of what she had called the taller female, too intent on questioning the russet-haired Shinigami. After the initial shock of seeing Ichigo as a Shinigami, her curiosity had taken over her and subsequently, awe over the redhead's powers begin to manifest. In a distant part of her mind, she felt she should feel suspicious of this unauthorised shinigami who had escaped Soul Society's notice but for the first time in years, she couldn't bring herself to care.

"I've been a Shinigami since Mom died."

"That long!?"

"Yes, well. Circumstances pushed the process along, I guess."

"What? What do you mean!?" Karin demanded as Ichigo tried to avoid her eyes.

If her sister had become a Shinigami at 9, why hadn't anyone noticed anything? What was her sister trying to hide!? Karin felt so dizzy from the emotional and mental roller coaster that she was suffering from. Her thoughts was spinning so fast she didn't even notice her sister stopping till she collided against the older female's back. Her sister turned back to look at her and she quickly snapped herself back into attention.

"We're here," Ichigo said and Karin's eyes quickly flew up to see the familiar signboard that decorated the small little shop.

"This is!? Urahara Shoten!?" Karin's eyes was wide. Standing beside her, Rukia's mouth had dropped open in disbelief.

"Come on."

"What-!?"

"You want to know, right? Then, come along and I'll try to explain as much as possible," her sister said, before entering the shop.

Sometimes, Karin felt as if she didn't know her sister as much as she'd like to admit but now, she felt like she didn't know her sister at all.

* * *

Her explanations started from when Mom died, when Grand Fisher had killed Mom and accidentally knocked Ichigo out of her body. Fortunately, someone had been close by to help her return to her body.

"Who!?" Karin interrupted her sister. Ichigo sighed. She had told her sister to not interrupt her when she started her story to ensure that she would not second guess herself.

Rukia whacked Karin's shoulder and shushed her. The dark-haired soccer fanatic made a sheepish face and sat back down.

"Sorry."

"Shall I start again?" Ichigo asked, then turned to thank Tessai for the tea. Then, the large bespectacled man left. So far, Urahara the idiot hasn't turned up yet but Ichigo concluded that the man will show up when he is least expected, just for thrills. Ichigo sipped her tea and decided that the truth was long due anyway.

Question is, can Karin really accept the truth?

Then, her brown eyes shifted to the other dark haired girl that sat next to her little sister.

Perhaps it would be slightly better if she kept some stuff hidden about herself. Like a certain hollow that was currently screeching at the back of her mind, constantly reminding her of her presence. Just to be safe.

_Urusai_(3), she sent back to the unhappy hollow.

She set her cup of tea back onto the table and continued:

"I became a shinigami because I had no choice," she finally answered, "the night Mom was murdered and my soul was knocked out of my body, the chain of fate was broken."

Both Rukia's and Karin's eyes widen at the implication. Ichi-nee died 9 years ago?

Karin's eyes then shot to the body that was sitting against the wall of the room, leaning next to hers. Her sister had insisted that they discuss as Shinigami and had discarded her body to the side by touching a pendant that she wore around her neck.

"Urahara's," the redhead had said at that time, showing her the small crystal with the marking of a skull in the middle. She had thought that it was extremely cool compared to what Rukia always used on her. That bloody glove always gave her a headache.

Then, Karin looked back at her sister, trying to divert her mind back at the topic at hand. If her sister had died years ago, what was that body? A gigai?

"Weirdly enough," Ichigo continued without a hitch, settling down her tea cup after another sip, "My body wasn't dead. More like, it had fallen into a coma. Do you remember, Karin? Everyone at home were told that Mom and I was involved in a freak accident and I was in the hospital?"

"I do..." Karin answered, searching her memory desperately. Her dad had received a call that had rendered the talkative man silent for hours on end. In the end, her dad broke the news to them that their mother had died in a car accident and that Ichigo was now in a coma in the hospital.

"Sensei knew Urahara and she needed a place to help me get back into my body. The only way I could, was to become a shinigami while Urahara preserved my body. And that's how I ended up here," Ichigo concluded, sipping her tea again. Tessai really did make good tea. As appose to the Urahara's shitty rendition of the beverage.

Karin sat silently as she tried to digest everything. Ichigo looked at her sister worriedly before the other dark-haired girl in the room lifted her hand up like she was a student in a classroom in junior high.

"Tell me about your Zanpaktou, Ichigo-san," Rukia questioned.

Ichigo actually thought for a while before she explained. There was simply too much to tell about her Zanpaktou, which she had gained with great difficulty.

"His name is Zangetsu," she said, lifting her hand and summoning the great cleaver that was her beloved sword. The long red and black strips that floated around her swirled immediately to form the sword and then fell away to reveal the soul cutter.

Ichigo started to explain, turning her sword around to let the two dark-haired ones get a better view of the unusual sword that was nearly as tall as its owner.

Her zanpaktou was in perpetual shikai form because of her enormous reiatsu. Fortunately for her, ever since she learned to control her reiatsu, she gained the ability to summon her sword only if she needed it so she didn't have to carry the large sword where ever she went in her shinigami form. It was unheard of for a shinigami to have such a skill but Kurosaki Ichigo was not a normal shinigami.

Another big difference about her shinigami form was the long strips of black and crimson cloths that was always floating around her protectively. Even when it's not, the strips of wards could be found around her wrists, neck or waist. When Karin asked about them, Ichigo explained that they were binds that she had tied to herself to control and hide her powers if she needed.

"I have entirely too much reiatsu," the orange-haired teen explained, fiddling with one of the strips around her wrists, "I needed powerful wards to hold my powers in control. Fortunately, when I came into my shinigami powers, someone taught me a method that I can use to bind my powers myself."

"Who!?" Karin finally demanded, unable to take the suspense any longer.

Ichigo smiled mysteriously and Rukia was struck with a sudden realisation as to why people were attracted to this fragile-looking but powerful young woman.

"Someone you'll undoubtedly meet one day now that you're a shinigami."

Tsuzuku

This chapter is actually supposed to be longer than this but i split it into two. Next chapter: Renji and Byakuya will make their appearance. Next instalment is mid of next week (keep your fingers crossed).

Author's Note:

(1) Someone once asked if her black and red wards are her shikai form but it is NOT. The binds are to limit her powers. We all know how powerful Ichigo truly is, the problem is controlling it. The strips are wards, the red to contain her zanpaktou and the black to contain her hollow. Later in the story, Ichi-chan will confront her hollow. I'll try to describe her difference better next time.

(2) "Good bye."

(3) "Noisy!"

Zangetsu: Just imagine Ichigo's sword when he has it wrapped up and strapped to his back. When he 'unsheathes' it, the wrappers shortens and fall away. Just imagine the white wrapping to be black and red and longer.

On another note, I'd like to thank my reviewers: HunterHatakeandNekoUchiha, seasnake.756, RefurAG, Aya-Mikage2002, Kat-Sakura, jhanna555, lizard26, blitzfury, Flameingphoneix, Mystic-Neko85, tinyNecile, coian, Leen and Lady Azar de Tameran.

Thank you for taking your time to write your reviews. I really appreciate it, minna-san ;o)


	5. Reprecussions

_The first person she met was Arisawa Tatsuki, who became her best friend when Ichigo joined the Dojo. They clicked well, both being girls who wanted to learn to protect themselves and their loved ones by learning martial arts. But then, Ichigo's mother died and Ichigo begin to distance herself from everyone. So gradually, as years passed, the two drifted apart._

_Then, she met Sado Yasutora in a street fight, when the giant half-Mexican was cornered by a group of yankees who didn't like how he looked. She interrupted their fight because she was in a bad mood and needed to release stress. From then on, he became her closest confidant and vice versa._

_Later, in another street fight, Ichigo and Chad, as she had taken to calling him, stumbled upon Mizuiro and Keigo. For some reason, the two decided to tag along in their little mismatched group._

_Inoue Orihime was and still is Tatsuki's best friend, who automatically became Ichigo's default little sister when her brother, at his deathbed, asked her to take care of 'hime. But Ichigo became fond of the faired-haired girl soon enough and naturally, Tatsuki and the strawberry became close again in their agreement to take care of their silly classmate._

_Together, they were known as **Seirenes**._

**Chapter 5 - Reprecussions**

"Urahara has been teaching you, hasn't he?"

"Well, he offered before a week ago..." Karin said hesitantly as she followed her sister down to the 'basement'.

"And you declined," Ichigo finished for her, reading her expression easily. Then, the side of her lips twitched, "because he looked like some kind of dodgy dealer, right?"

"Yeah," Karin replied with a grin.

"At least you're cautious," Ichigo said, "And I seriously don't blame you for thinking that."

"My, Ichi-kun, is that what you think of me," said the man in the hat, appearing suddenly out of no where from behind them. Rukia and Karin both jumped but Ichigo didn't even blink, too used to the man's sneaky ways. However, she didn't stop her instinct of retaliating on surprises.

Mere seconds later, Urahara found himself whimpering on the ground, clutching his throbbing nose.

"How many times have I told you not to come out from behind me?" Ichigo grumbled, rubbing her sore knuckles. "And yes, that's what I think of you."

"Mou... Ichi-chan..."

"Stop whining. It does not become you," Ichigo rolled her eyes, dismissing the pouting man. "Now, let's get to business. I know you have a lot of questions."

Karin opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by her sister.

"Which I will clear in due time," the russet-haired girl said, "right now, it's more important that you learn more about your own Zanpaktou. It's name and shape."

"What do you mean name?" Karin asked, gripping her sword. Her sword has a name?

Ichigo shot an annoyed look at Urahara while Rukia frowned.

"Ichigo-san, it takes years for one to learn the name of their zanpaktou-," Rukia protested.

"I took less than a week to learn mine, Rukia," she commented, turning her glare to the shorter girl, all pretense of politeness gone. "For all Karin knows about being a Shinigami, the less she knows, the more in danger she is in."

"Wait," Karin interjected, "What do you mean by that?"

"You'll know soon enough," Ichigo said, "when you learn the name of your zanpaktou, I will tell you everything you need to know. But for now, you'll have to practice with Urahara."

"Why not you!?"

"Because I have band practice soon and I can't afford to miss it," Ichigo said dismissively, then beginning pulling Rukia towards the exit.

Karin wanted to protest about being left behind with the dodgy dealer but decided that she wouldn't show any weakness or fear in front of the unshaven man who was smirking like an idiot. She'll whack him nicely if he dares to do anything or maybe she'll just sic her older sister at him.

* * *

"Come on," Ichigo tilted her head. Rukia blinked.

"To where?"

"The park. Maybe. I have time before I have to get to the studio," Ichigo said absentmindedly as she checked her watch.

"Wha- Why? Karin-"

"-Will be fine," Ichigo interrupted as she exited the shop, waving at Jinta and Ururu and smiling at their antics. "Urahara will take care of her. And he'd better if he knows what's good for him."

Rukia felt intrepidation as Ichigo turned towards her with a strained smile.

"For now, let's get to know each other."

* * *

Rukia stared at the packet in her hand, wondering how one can actually drink from this paper box.

A long tapered hand reached down and took it from her. Ichigo removed the straw from the packet and poked it into the packet.

"Here ya go," Ichigo handed it back to the amazed girl who blinked.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," she said, settling down beside the dark haired girl with her own drink.

"So..." Rukia begin, glancing at the redhead uncertainly. Ichigo looked contemplative, staring ahead of her.

"I shouldn't..."

"Ichigo-san?" Rukia blinked.

"Just call me Ichigo," the strawberry interjected, then threw her hands up. "0h, what the heck. Let's have crepes."

"Crepes?"

"Strawberry? Or you want chocolate? Vanilla?"

"Wha- But-"

"We'll have a mix, okay. So you can try a bit of both," that decided, the taller girl stood up and headed towards the van situated not too far from them.

Rukia blinked again and quickly got up to follow the strawberry-haired girl.

"Ichigo-san!"

"Stop calling me that. Either call me Ichigo or Ichi-nee."

"Erm...," Rukia hesitated, not knowing what to say. On one hand, she was older than the redhead but on the other hand, it was hard to imagine anyone else she could call a sister.

A hand fell onto her head, ruffling her hair. Suddenly, a feeling of deja vu went through her. Kaien-fukutaichou always did that too. And he was like an older brother to her. At that thought, she felt her heart throb painfully. He was like an older brother to her and she had killed him. What if she had to do the same to Ichigo-san? If Seireitei ever found out about her... Would she be able to do it?

Just as the thought came, a piece of warm crepe was placed into her hand.

"Don't think too much. It'll cost all the braincells that you have left."

Rukia looked up from her depressive thoughts to see Ichigo smirking at her.

"Baka. Don't look so sad. It doesn't suit you."

"Ichigo-san-"

A loud ringtone begin to play, making the two girls jump. Ichigo fumbled around her pockets before she could find her phone.

"Mizuiro, please don't tell me that our practice has been cancelled," Ichigo answered the phone with a quick question. Then, she relaxed.

"Oh, good. Perfect."

Rukia watched silently as she bit into her crepe. Her eyes widen in delight as the delicious subtle sweetness spread across her tongue.

"Alright. I'm at the park. Shou-san will be coming right? Good. Yeah, I'll see ya soon." Ichigo ended the call and gave Rukia a tentative smile.

"Hey, Rukia. I have to go for my practice. You wanna come along?"

* * *

Rukia smiled as Mizuiro-san handed her a packet drink.

When they arrived, Ichigo had made a short introduction of her to everyone and vice versa. There was Tatsuki-san, the drummer and Orihime, the background singer and pianist. Sado-san or Chad, the bassist, whatever that is. Then, there was Keigo, the guitarist and Mizuiro-san, their manager.

Half way through the practice, a dark-haired man with square spectacles arrived at the studio to bother them about their clothes. After a massive fight where both sides played dirty by trading childish insults, Ichigo introduced the annoying and naggy guy as Ishida Uryuu, their fashion designer. Apparently, he was also, always, considered part of the band.

The whole band was very nice to her, buying her drinks and sweets whenever they were having a break. Which would be like every fifteen minutes because apparently Keigo had short attention span and needed prodding from Ichigo ever quarter of an hour. It seriously pissed the redhead off but it gave the others entertainment in between their breaks.

Rukia loved their songs, even the loud ear-splitting ones.

Karin was very lucky, Rukia thought, poking the straw into the packet the way Ichigo-san had shown her earlier. She had such a nice family, wacky but nice and warm. Ichigo-san and her friends was so welcoming and friendly too.

It was difficult. But she wanted to protect them.

As if a burden has been lifted, Rukia let go of the breath she had held.

She knew and so did Ichigo-san. Soon, Soul Society will hunt her down and with her, they will kill or take Karin. And maybe even Ichigo-san, if they find out about her being an unauthorised shinigami.

She had to leave today. To where? She had no idea. But she couldn't just let danger come to these people who had accepted her so easily, who treated her like family, even when her own brother treated her like a total stranger.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when she left through the backdoor quietly. Karin was sleeping like a log when she left the room. The replacement shinigami was severely exhausted from her training with Urahara, who had pushed her so hard, she could barely get up when Rukia and Ichigo had finally returned to fetch her.

Ichigo-san was at her condo with her bandmates discussing on their new song. And the other Kurosaki residents were silent, most probably sleeping.

I have to get away from them, she thought to herself, as she ran along the streets. I won't involve any of them.

"Where are you going, Rukia?"

Rukia stopped and looked up in horror as her brother and childhood friend appeared from the Senkai gate.

* * *

"Slave driver," Ishida grumbled to himself as he double checked his purchase. The costumes that Ichigo had requested of him for next week was now needed desperately. As in as-soon-as-possible-tomorrow urgently needed.

Sometimes he wondered why he worked for that woman. Not only was she a shinigami (in secret), she was also demanding and a slave driver.

Oh, wait. It was because she paid well and he got recognition for his creations despite his youth.

Damn, he thought to himself.

When Ichigo offered the job to him, she knew that it was too good an opportunity for him to decline.

Grumpily, Ishida walked home in the middle of the night before a scene in front of him halted his progress.

Isn't that the shinigami Rukia that Ichigo had warned everyone to keep an eye on?

Analysing the situation quickly, Ishida came to the decision that what Ichigo had anticipated has happened.

_"Seireitei will take action against my little sister and Rukia to keep it all hushed down..."_

The dark haired fashion designer whipped out his phone and speed dailed 2. The tone only rang once before it was picked up.

"Ishida? What is it? Can't finish the dress by tonight? Do you need me to call Mizui-"

"Ichigo! Listen," Ishida interrupted the strawberry's tirade. "You need to get here NOW!"

* * *

"Come along now, Rukia."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

"Ishida-san!" Rukia called out in surprise, eyes wide. What was the dark-haired man doing out here?

"What are you doing with Rukia-san?" the unassuming man asked, pushing his glasses up.

"It's none of you business, human," Renji scowled then his eyes widen as a bright arrow of light shot pass him. "What the hell!?"

Even Rukia was shocked. A quincy!? Ichigo-san's friend is a quincy!? Were they not all annihilated years ago!?

"If you want to take her, then you'll have to go through me first," Ishida said, pulling another arrow.

Opposite him, Abarai Renji unsheathed his sword.

"Gladly," he snarled.

* * *

Damnit! Where the hell are you, Ichigo! Ishida cursed as he slumped onto the ground. Not too far from him, Rukia gasped to keep herself from screaming at her childhood friend to stop.

"If you do not want to see your friend die, I would suggest that you come with us quietly," her brother warned her.

Rukia bowed her head, looking at the ground. Then, she nodded contritely.

"Please, Ishida-san," she whispered to the man who was trying to get up. The sable-haired man just looked up at her pleading face in frustration. Then, when she was sure that he would no longer put up anymore resistance, she turned and followed her brother back through the gate.

Ishida cursed as he lay bleeding on the ground, watching helplessly as the dark-haired shinigami his russet-haired friend had grown to care for was taken away to another world beyond their reach.

By the time Ichigo and the rest appeared beside him, shouting for him to hang on, the senkai gate was long gone.

**Tsuzuku**

I know I promised to update earlier but things has been popping up here and there and now my new sem has started. But I'll try to do my best as most of the chapters has already been drafted.

It may seem as if I've painted a bad picture of both Renji and Byakuya but it's just how it goes. Later, a different side will present themselves. A lot of ppl want Ichigo to meet those two at this moment in time. But not yet, the time will present itself soon enough. Anyway, please r and r.


	6. In Hiding

_Just after recording their first album, Ichigo was accepted as a transfer student to England, where she applied to study English Literature, something she had always taken an interest in._

_Since the release of their first album and their first debut was both scheduled to take place in 6 months, Ichigo was able to go without much protests. She knew that another such chance might not present itself again. If they became a hit after the album, there would be too much to do. And Ichigo was confident of **Seirenes** ability to capture the audience._

_So, months after her 17th birthday, she left Japan with another fellow transfer student who was also accepted. His name was Ishida Uryuu._

_The programme was only for three months but it was enough for Ichigo to take advantage of the new surroundings, the new experiences and the new people. She wasn't much of an extrovert but there was just so much to learn._

_Much more than she would anticipate._

**Chapter 6 - In Hiding**

"OI! We have to save Rukia!" Karin slammed her palms onto the low coffee table where they were gathered. Seated beside her, Ichigo's expression was dark and foreboding.

"We will but..." Urahara shot the redhaired singer a look from the corner of his eyes, barely visible beneath his ever present hat.

"Do you really want to save her?" Ichigo asked firmly, catching Karin's attention.

"Yes!" Karin snapped with conviction. Ichigo didn't say anything for a while, eyes sharp, searching into Karin's soul.

"Very well," her sister finally said, standing up, "but if you want to help Rukia, you'll have to become stronger."

"Wha-"

"Are you serious, Ichigo!?" Ishida questioned from behind Orihime's healing barrier. "She's barely ready to fight with a normal shinigami much less follow us into the heart of soul society."

Karin and Ichigo ignored the quincy's statement, still sizing each other up.

"I'm close, Ichi-nee. I can feel it," Karin almost plead. She really wanted to save Rukia. She was her friend. Her only friend for a very long time...

"Urahara will have to up the training if you want to become strong enough to rescue Rukia." Ichigo said finally, ignoring the others' protest. She was her sister, she knew that she wouldn't back down even if she forbade her from going with them. She was like her in so many ways...

"I will," Karin said with such determination that Ichigo couldn't help but be reminded of herself.

"I'll learn my zanpaktou's name in a week if I have to."

Ichigo's answering smile was strained.

"I was afraid you'd say that."

* * *

5 days later found Karin still training hard to learn the name of her zanpaktou but in vain. The sword did not even utter a single word to her. Frustration and despair was growing in that strong heart, slowly but surely.

Why was her zanpaktou not answering her at all? Was she not strong enough? Was she not good enough?

She could almost spar on par with her sister now. Though if one was to watch carefully, it was clear that Ichigo did not put half the effort she has into the sparring.

Soon, when it became apparent that Ichigo could not seriously raise her sword against her little sister, the strawberry-haired singer asked Urahara to take over from her. Indeed, the sandy-haired man was least likely to be merciful to her than her own sister but god, the man just annoyed her so!

Karin cursed as she blocked Urahara's strike. Dumbass wasn't even looking at her!

She growled as she swung the zanpaktou to parry another strike.

Not too far from them, Ichigo was observing her sister's progress with another of her member. The others was out scouting the area.

"They are still searching for Karin."

"I know," she replied tensely.

For the last few days she had not allowed her sister to go out as a shinigami, going as far as making Urahara give her sister a device that will mask her powers. There were scouts from Soul Society going about Karakura recently, more so than usual, dispatching the hollow haunting the areas, giving soul burials and looking for the unauthorised shinigami who had stolen Kuchiki Rukia's powers.

"Except they don't know it was Karin who took Rukia's powers," she said, not knowing that she had uttered it out loud. Ishida looked at her for a moment before realisation dawned in his face.

"Ichigo, you're thinking of taking her place, aren't you?"

"Rukia's punishment have been decided," Ichigo replied, ignoring Ishida's question. she turned to him with a scowl, "They are going to execute her."

* * *

One more day to the dateline of one week.

Karin was getting very very desperate. She knew her sister would do exactly as she had promised. She would not allow the sable-haired girl to follow them to Soul Society if she did not obtain her Shikai by tomorrow. Sure enough, that was exactly what Ichigo was discussing with Urahara at that moment in time.

"If she doesn't learn her Zanpaktou's name by the end of the week, she's not going to Soul Society. Because if she does, you might as well kill her now. It'll be more merciful." Ichigo said, glancing at her frustrated sister glaring at her sword quite a distance away.

"Maybe I should."

Ichigo gave Urahara a sharp glance but the man was already walking away from her, unsheathing Benihime and releasing his shikai. Ichigo willed herself not to give chase and stop the man.

It's for her own good, she told herself. I can't interfere, she clutched onto her own trembling right hand. As if understanding their mistress' feelings, the strips that surrounded her doubled, floating upwards over her head. Jinta, who was standing nearby, jumped at the sight and quickly inched away from the wandering wards. It was never nice to encounter one of those things. It stung like hell and when there was a lot of them, it was difficult to breath. Sometimes he wondered how Ichigo could stand having so many of them limiting her powers.

* * *

_'Are you going to give up?'_ a noisy part of her conscience criticised, _'after you promised yourself that you'll not.'_

"Shut up! I'm not giving up," Karin snapped to herself outloud. Urahara paused, then continued going all out towards the already injured shinigami.

_'Good. He's coming...'_

Karin looked up and quickly blocked Urahara's slash.

Her sword seemed to vibrate with every strike that landed. She felt so tired. Her arms were throbbing and her head was swimming. Spinning.

And then, Karin turned to the side a little too late to block the incoming blow.

* * *

It was all dark. She couldn't see a thing. Was her inner self so dark and creepy? Was she upright or upside down? She tried looking up but all she saw a long streak of light going across what she deemed as the sky.

_'Karin...'_

"Who's that?" she jumped and shouted in surprise, looking around in the pitch black darkness.

_'Can you not see?'_

_'Do you not know yourself?'_

"Of course I do!"

_'Do you?'_

Karin glared at no one in particular, unable to detect the origin of the faraway voice.

_'Then, what you value the most...'_ the voice seemed to fade even more further away. Karin felt a bit scared and desperate. Was her Zanpaktou fading?

"I..." she started, then continued with only a slight hesitation. What has she got to lose by revealing the truth in her inner world? "I value my family the most, of course."

_'Of course... Yes... Of course...'_

The streak of light on the sky begin to shine brighter, lighting the dark world that she stood upon. She looked in surprise as the sight of lush green grass swaying beneath her feet spread out around her. The meadow grew, a single tree with sparse leaves revealed it self beside her. And the light continued to grow till it illuminate the steep sides of the meadow.

It was then that Karin caught full sight of the world within her.

It was a floating island, in the midst of darkness.

What the hell?

_'Your inner world reflect on your inner self...'_

"AN ISLAND!?" she exclaimed in disbelief, "How cliche'd is that!? My subconscious is crappy!"

_'Who are doing this for?'_ the voice continued asking, not distracted in the least by the uncharacteristic statement.

"What do you mean?" Karin stopped to ask.

_'For your sister? Rukia? Or for your own pride...? Why do you want power?'_

"I'm doing this for myself!"

_'...are you sure...?'_

"YES! I WANT TO BE STRONGER! I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT MYSELF! SO THAT RUKIA AND ICHI-NEE DON'T HAVE TO PROTECT ME!"

The light above her grew brighter, still cutting across the sky. She looked away to void getting blinded by the glare. Then, suddenly, as abrupt as it started, the light faded.

_'If you want to be stronger, then face me.'_

Karin blinked. Then, turned around to face her Zanpaktou.

Only to meet a ball of white fire.

* * *

Urahara dodged the sudden and unexpected swing from his newest charge. His coat was caught at the tip of the sword however, a minor tear opening as a result. He stopped and looked down before surveying the dark-haired girl still swaying in front of him.

Ichigo frowned as her little sister looked up in dazed eyes. It didn't look like she was being controlled by an inner hollow but she didn't look like she was aware either.

Was she currently in between?

* * *

Karin blocked the slash and cursed as the sword in her hand cracked from the impact. Quickly twisting her body to turn away, she used the momentum to push both her sword and her opponent's away. She rolled onto the ground and managed to grasped the hilt of a sword embedded onto the ground not too far from where she originally was. However, the moment her hand touched it, she knew it wasn't the real body of her zanpaktou.

Where the hell is that stupid zanpaktou!?

Nevertheless, she pulled out the sword from the ground in time to parry the white light that came shooting towards her.

The sound of the clash reveberated across the dark inner world.

She had to find the real body of the zanpaktou before she could find out the name of her sword but so far, every sword she pulled out from the ground proved to be fake. And that stupid light that came out of no where was distracting her at every turn.

"Damn it!" Karin cursed as she threw away the broken sword in her hand to clasp another. The ball of white light was making a circle above her before returning towards her.

'Come on! I'm ready!" she shouted, pulling the odd hook-like sword from the ground. "I'm not afraid of you! I'll face you head on alright!" the fiery teenager shouted, swinging the sword in an arc.

When her sword met with the glowing white ball, a bright light burst in front of her, blinding her for a few seconds.

Did she get it? No, that can't be. The sword in her hand wasn't her zanpaktou. She knew it even before she even touched it. Unconsciously, she dropped the katana.

In fact, she knew that all the sword here, embedded in the ground of this floating island, wasn't her soul-cutter. She could feel it. She could hear it. Calling out to her, so clearly compared to when she was in the real world.

She reached out with the right hand and touched something warm.

Karin opened her eyes.

Her opponent, the white ball of light had disappeared.

In her hand...

_'Call my name, little Karin...' _

And she did.

* * *

Urahara only hesitated for a second, poising to strike the final attack. At the sideline, Ichigo fisted her hands, her wards ready to stop him from going to far.

However, in his moment of hesitation, the little black-haired girl that was just on the verge of dying jerked. Her head shot up to glare at him with sharp dark eyes and a fierce snarl.

"Tobu! Nagareboshi!"

Karin held out her sword as it changed into a glowing sliver of light, shooting out at Urahara, who was standing about 5 feet away. The unshaven man managed to block at the last minute with Benihime, eyes wide at the unexpected attack.

The clash of swords rang across the basement.

Karin grinned as she jumped up to her feet and aimed with her Zanpaktou hilt. The sliver of light changed direction and headed straight towards Urahara again. The shopkeeper quickly dodge and tried to divert its direction with Benihime but the shooting light continued it's journey back to its owner, merging with the empty hilt to form the blade again, which was shorter now than the normal zanpaktou. It was a kodachi.

"Shooting Star," Ichigo breathed out in relief, a smile etched onto her lips.

"Well done, Karin. Well done."

* * *

"Yoruichi-san, ohisashiburi desu ne," Urahara drawled, tipping his hat. Trudging tiredly behind him in the hallway, Karin wiped her sweat away from her forehead and tilted to see who the sandy-haired man was talking to.

There was no one in front of them except for a small black cat.

"Urahara," the cat said.

Karin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Then, she spent several minutes gaping unattractively.

The corner of Ichigo's lips curved as she tried to hold in her laughter. The reactions that Yoruichi garnered whenever someone first meet them always amused her. She could still remember the first time Ishida and Keigo met with the black cat. The two did the perfect imitation of fresh fish out of water.

"THE CAT IS FREAKING TALKING!" her little sister blew into an uncharacteristic freak-out session.

"How rude," the cat sneered arrogantly, "have you never seen a talking cat before."

"OF COURSE NOT!!"

"Yoruichi-san."

The black cat turned to stare back at the redhead.

"If you don't mind, Yoruichi-san. I'd like to speak with you for a minute," she said, opening the sliding door to one of the room.

The black cat nodded and followed her after shooting a look at Urahara, who grinned impishly.

Inside, Yoruichi's golden eyes narrowed as Ichigo loosened her haori and hakama to reveal a palm-size tattoo on the junction between her left abdomen and her left hip. It was a series of interlinking symbols that looked like an intricate flower with ten petals.

"You're going to deactivate the seal." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, though they wouldn't expect a replacement shinigami to have so much powers," Ichigo shared a grin with the cat, who was projecting smugness. "But it's easier in case they seal my powers. The borrowed powers will ensure that I can protect myself if I need to."

"That is advisable," Urahara commented from where he stood near the door, "but Kurotsuchi from the research department might take an interest in you-"

"Get out, you PERVERT!" Urahara was thrown out of the room by the half-dressed shinigami before she slammed shut the sliding door.

"That aside," the black cat in the room continued, blatantly ignoring the pathetic whining outside the room, "Is it that advisable to use that power?"

Ichigo closed her eyes. Beyond her conscious mind, she could hear it. That distorted voice that called upon her. Promising power. Promising freedom. Promising bloodshed.

"It's not," she answered, opening her own golden orbs, "I'll try not to use them but if I have no choice... well..."

Yoruichi sighed, frowning darkly.

"Whatever happens though. Don't let anyone touch your powers, Ichigo. It's too unstable."

Ichigo smiled grimly.

"I know, Sensei."

**Tsuzuku **

So there, now everyone knows Karin's Zanpaktou's name. Wait till you see her Bankai. Heh.

According to wiki, Kodachi is literally translating into "small or short tachi (sword)", is a Japanese sword that is too short to be considered a long sword but too long to be a dagger, since this sword was shorter than two shaku (about two feet) in length.

Next chapter, Ichigo and Byakuya meets for the first time. Finally!


	7. Sacrifice

_Ichigo just turned 15, when Keigo suggested they form a band. The boy had only started to learn how to play the guitar two years ago and was now enthusiastically moving to the electric version._

_They were a ragtag band, consisting of 'hime as the keyboardist and background singer, Tatsuki as drummer, Chad at Bass and sometimes at the guitar and Mizuiro at the synthesizer._

_Of course, Ichigo would be the lead singer. She had performed, albeit reluctantly, once or twice at the piano, aweing all listeners with her skills and voice._

_Though the initial chord made Ichigo winced, they had lots of fun experimenting on their individual styles and what would suit their band's own style. In the end, they decided they would go with Ichigo's style, who was adaptable to jazz, pop and rock._

_Seirenes, they named the band, to reflect Ichigo's voice. They became popular in Karakura almost instantly._

_Three years later, when they turned 17, **Seirenes** was discovered._

**Chapter 7 - Sacrifice**

Nearly a fortnight after Rukia had been found and taken back to soul Society, Renji found himself wandering Karakura, searching for the human that had stolen Rukia's powers. If they could find her, there was a minute chance that Rukia might be able to escape execution though the human would probably suffer from a heavier punishment.

Renji scowled, gripping his sword tightly. The problem was, Rukia refused to name the person who had stolen her powers, blatantly protecting the human. If she continued doing this, she will die.

In his head, he tried to think of ways to help her, rescue her but the depressing feeling of helplessness knowing that it wouldn't work kept him at bay.

A small sound distracted his thoughts and he quickly turned.

"Looking for me?"

Abarai Renji's eyes widen as tall young woman stepped out from the shadows.

Her long tangerine hair was bound at the nape by long strips of white cloth and similarly, white strips was tied around the hilt of her small slim zanpaktou, which was strapped to her side like every other shinigami. Eerily, it reminded him of Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki.

"I'm the one that stole Kuchiki Rukia's powers."

Renji's eyes widen at the confession.

* * *

Renji kept an eye on the young woman all way through the journey to Soul Society. She was quiet after she gave her explanation that she was surrendering herself.

They stepped out of the senkai gate, only to be greeted by a crowd of shinigami headed by his very own captain.

Renji looked over to his captain, wondering what Kuchiki-taichou would do. Like usual, the older man was impassive.

The young woman bowed gently.

"I am here to surrender myself to Seireitei," she said calmly, "but I have a small request."

The dark-haired taichou that so resembled Rukia said nothing. The young woman took it as a indication to continue.

"My request is that you let me plead for Kuchiki Rukia's freedom, for she only did this to save my family."

"If you are so willing to follow us," Kuchiki Byakuya said after a while, suspicious of this young lady's motive. "Why did you not surrender yourself earlier."

"I feared," she said, closing her unnervingly calm gold eyes, "I'm alive. Therefore I feared death. But now, now that I have settled everything around me..."

Byakuya's frown deepened as her words faded to a soft whisper and an affectionate expression appeared on her face.

"She saved my life. And now, I find myself wanting to save hers."

* * *

As they sealed the russet-haired shinigami's powers away, the long white strips around her slowly immaterialised.

Kuchiki Byakuya frowned as one such strip wrapped around his wrist gently and then disappeared completely. It was as if to remind him of his unspoken promise to try and save his sister. A promise he would have to break should Rukia's punishment remain unchanged.

Before Kurosaki Ichigo left with the jailers, she shot him and Renji a look. One that made his frown deepen. It was clear that she knew she would never leave Seireitei to see her family again. For some reason, this clarity that she possessed saddened him. This golden-eyed child who was only reaching maturity now, no more a girl but barely a woman.

Even days later, as his sister's execution date grew closer, Kuchiki Byakuya found himself unable to forget this Kurosaki Ichigo, who had surrendered herself willingly, in vain, to save his sister, someone whom she had not even known for long.

* * *

Ichigo settled down onto the ground, facing the small window high above.

The view is perfect, she decided. The high window was rectangular, long in length and narrow in height, giving a view of the buildings outside. A distance away from the prison, she could see a tall white building. The Tower of Penance. It looked exactly like what Yoruichi-sensei told her. That was probably where Rukia is being held.

'Just wait a little longer...' she thought, trying to project this to the dark-haired girl imprisoned there.

'Perhaps I should tell her that?' she pondered, touching her lips. A familiar smirk then etched itself on the subtle lips.

Her song spread out across her prison, making the guards outside pause.

The softness of her voice and the melodious gentle tune made them stop to listen.

_"Sensai na ito de soboku na (A delicate thread ties me to)  
Machi ni shibari tsukerareteta goro, (that simple village from back then)  
Miageru tabi ni sora wa utsushita, (Every time I look up to the sky)  
Haruka ni tooi sekai wo." (I see a shimmer of that far away world)_

And slowly but surely, the song began to spread out to Seireitei, towards the intended recipient.

_"Chiisana basho wo ato ni shitekara, (After I leave this place, how long)  
Dorekurai mou tatsu no darou, (will it be untill I pass it again)  
Home is calling..."_

* * *

"What is that?" Kira Izuru asked, pausing in his step.

Hinamori Momo followed the other lieutenant's example, keeping quiet to hear to soft sound.

_"Furusato kokoro no naka de ima demo (Even now my home is gently)  
Yasashiku hibiiteru, (echoing throughout my heart)  
Sabishi sa ga shimi tsuita (when I feel blue and lonely)  
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (On dreamless nights)  
Anata wo yonde iru..." (I call out for you)_

"Someone's singing," Kira breathed out finally, almost reverently as the voice carried by the winds got louder and louder. He found himself entranced and he turned to his companion to find her in a similar state like him.

"Hinamori?"

The brunette jumped at Kira's voice and was surprised to find tears on her face.

"Are you alright?" the blond asked, not unkindly.

"Ah.. un!" she hastily wiped her tears. Sure, she was a softie at heart but she wasn't a pushover. One can't become a lieutenant without a firm hand but as the words in the lyrics became clearer and clearer, she felt a tugging in her heart that just made her tear up uncontrollably.

_"Tokai no sora ni yume wo takushite, (People sacrifice their hearts)  
Kokoro wo gisei ni shiteru. (entrusting the city's sky with their dreams)  
Yashin to ai no chouwa ga torezu, (unable to get peace from love or ambition)  
Daremo ga samayotte iru. (Everyone wanders around)  
Kazara nakatta seijitsu na hibi, (Why did take me so long to realize that I)  
Kono goro naze ka koishiku omou, (loved those innocent pure days from back then)  
Home is calling..."_

* * *

Aizen Sousuke stopped and listened as the song washed over Seireitei slowly.

_"Furusato taezu ni aishitekureta, (The faces of the people back home)  
Sonna hito no kao wo, (constantly gave me the love I needed)  
Mou ichido mite mitai, (Oh I'd love to see them once more)  
Kyoushuu ni karare, (Giving in to my homesickness)  
Anata wo yonde iru..." (I call out for you) _

"Ah, it seems as if we have a little songbird in our hands right now."

"Ichimaru-taichou," the bespectacle captain greeted without turning around.

"The shinigami who took Kuchiki Rukia's powers," Ichimaru commented, refering to the owner of the voice.

"Pretty young th'ng too. Pity," he continued nonchalantly, tilting back his head to listen to the song.

_

* * *

__"Kako to ima no aida no tobari wo (As I quietly open the curtain)  
Sotto hiraite miru to (separating the past and present)  
Sora no wareme kara koboreru hikari ga (a light shines throught a rift in the clouds)  
Meguru jidai wo sashite ita (illuminating the passing time)  
Home is calling..."_

Matsumoto Rangiku paused, tea in hand as she listened to the song that drifted gently through the air.

"What a sad song."

* * *

Rukia's head snapped up.

'No, no, no, no!'

The dark-haired shinigami quickly got up from where she laid and stumbled unsteadily towards the long narrow windows.

_"Furusato kokoro no naka de ima demo (Even now my home is gently)  
Yasashiku hibiku yo." (echoing throughout my heart) _

"NO!" Rukia screamed in despair as the realisation sank in.

"Ichigo-san..."

_"Todomaru koto wo shira nai kibou ni, (I entrust my body to hope,) _

_Mi wo makasete ite mo, (letting nothing stand in my way)  
Sabishi saga shimi tsuita, (when I feel blue and lonely)  
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (On dreamless nights)  
Anata wo yonde iru... (I call out for you)  
Home is always calling out my name!" _

* * *

Abarai Renji paused, looking back to where the newest prisoner was being held. Striding in front of him, Kuchiki Byakuya didn't stop from his pace. Even as the gentle song continued to roll softly like waves across the courtyard.

"Damnit!" Renji cursed silently as once again helplessness curled within him.

_"Sabishi sa ga shimi tsuita, (On dreamless nights)  
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (when I feel blue and lonely)  
Anata wo yonde iru. (I call out for you)  
Furusato wo yonde iru..." (Home is calling out my name)_

**Tsuzuku **

The song is "Home" by Angela Aki and the translation is by Cherryblossom Garden(Ironic much?) Once again, you'll be able to fnd this beautiful song in youtube. sore ja, I'll be updating again soon in a month or so. keep ur fingers crossed that i dun lose interest or just review. It'll keep me happy and interested.


	8. Plans

**Chapter 8 - Plans**

"Is everyone ready!?"

The four teenagers looked at one another and nodded. The other three teens staying behind in Karakura stood behind them, solemn.

"Good luck, Karin-chan!" Keigo shouted, attempting to be encouraging.

The dark-haired shinigami turned back and nodded to the three, face serious and wary.

"Be careful, 'Hime."

"I will, Tatsuki-chan!" the ditzy teen chirped, looking as if she was going on a school trip and not a potentially dangerous double rescue mission.

"Well, let's go!" Yoruichi announced, leading them towards the glowing gate.

Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro watched as they teammates and Ichigo's little sister crossed the makeshift gate.

"Alright guys, we have a job to do," Tatsuki said, cracking her knuckles.

They had to protect Karakura in Ichigo's absence.

* * *

They landed in a messy tangle of limbs, one heaped atop the other.

"The heck!" Karin snapped, pushing away Chad's large arm. "I thought Urahara said that it was safe!?"

"Actually, I don't think he ever said that," Ishida sighed, pushing up his glasses.

Karin just growled grumpily at the white-clad quincy.

"That's Seireitei, isn't it?" Orihime pointed to the maze of clean streets not too far from where they landed.

"Oh, great," Karin said, striding towards the center.

"WAIT!"

"Wa-?" Karin half-turned to look at her sister's teacher. Then jumped in surprise as huge walls descended from the sky to surround their destination.

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

"You idiot!"

* * *

"If you didn't act so rashly-"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, okay!?" Karin sniped out, gritting her teeth as she held her ground against the large axe bearing down on her. Jidanbou grinned down at her before bringing down his other axe.

"TOBU! NAGAREBOSHI!"

* * *

It took the gatekeeper a few minutes to actually gain consciousness. He groaned at the throbbing pain in his head.  
"HEY! You 'kay!?" a worried voice called out.

"What hit me?" he half-moaned half-whined.

"Sorry, I didn't expect my zanpaktou to go straight to your head."

"Don't you have any control at all?"

"I DO! It just flew out unexpectedly!"

"Karin-chan, please don't shout. Jidanbou-san, are you alright?"

The large man just blinked at the young woman then at the two dark-haired people squabbling nearby, trying to comprehend that he had just lost to the little squirt of a girl.

* * *

"Hey. Thanks for opening the gate for us. And sorry about your head," Karin said apologically.

The gatekeeper just grinned warmly. He liked the fiesty little girl that defeated him so easily with one swipe of her zanpaktou.

"No problem. It is my responsibility to guard the gate. And as loser of this battle, I should grant you passage-"

"Actually, as a gatekeeper, you're just supposed to guard the gate and not open it."

Yoruichi cursed inwardly as she caught sight of the 3rd captain, Ichimaru Gin.

* * *

"Kuchiki Rukia's punishment has been decided."

Ichigo's head shot up to stare at the dark-haired captain.

"She is to be executed in two weeks time."

"WHY? She didn't do anything! She only wanted to save my sisters."

"Be that as it may, she broke the regulations of Seireitei-

"Fuck that!"

Byakuya blinked in shock as the russet-haired girl stood up in anger, face flushed and hands fisted. He frowned as a gentle but threatening aura seemed to reveberate across the cell, originating from the girl whose powers were supposedly sealed.

"Rules are dead! A life is not! She's your sister! Are you not going to protect her?"

"Anyone who breaks the rules of Soul Society must be punished as appropriate," Byakuya said, face still impassive and blatantly ignoring her words.

Ichigo felt a flare of cold anger at the man's nonchalance. As if it didn't matter whether Rukia lived or died. Was this why Rukia always looked so awkward when she was given attention by her family? Could it be that she never knew how it was to have a real family? One that would love her unconditionally and without question, save her when she needed it?

Byakuya watched as the girl's angry expression changed. As if a switch has been turned off, her expression turned cold.

"I pity you."

The line between Byakuya's brows deepened slightly.

"This distance that you set between yourself and others, your sister... You'll only end up alone."

Though his face remained impassive, Ichigo could see something in his eyes, as if she had hit a chord within him. Still filled with anger, she couldn't bring herself to care that she had hurt him. She turned away from him, looking back at the window, dismissing him.

Byakuya took it as a signal that the conversation between them was now over and left, sliding the door shut.

_"Sakuroiro maukoro_ (When the cherryblossom colors flutter)  
_Watashi wa hitori_ (I'm alone)  
_Osae kirenu mune ni tachi tsuku shiteta_ (Standing exhausted, I can't cut off these feelings bottled up inside)"

The 6th division captain paused as the song drifted pass the closed portal. Kuchiki Byakuya forced himself to bury the deep aching pain tugging in his heart and willed himself to step away from the prison.

Who was she to judge him!? She didn't know the truth behind his actions. Didn't know the pain that he had to wake up to everyday and had to endure every single second of his remaining life. She did not know the pain of losing someone so dear... so loved... so needed... that death would have been more merciful that separation...

_"Wakabairo moyureba omoi afurete_ (When the color of new leaves shake, feelings overflow)  
_Subete wo miushinai anata he nagareta_ (I lost sight of everything and drifted towards you)

_Meguru kigi tachi dakega_ (The trees around us told us in silence)  
_Futari wo miteita no_ (That we would both see)  
_Hito dokoro ni wa todomare nai to Sotto oshie nagara_ (People don't have to be limited to one place)"

Gin grinned as he waved bye bye through the gap to the ryouka standing on the opposite side of the closing gate. Then, he whipped around and leisurely strolled back towards Gotei 13.

_"Karehairo someteku anata no tonari_ (When the withering leaves change color, I am next to you)  
_Utsurui yuku hibi ga ai he to kawaru no_ (And as the passing days fade, our love changes)

_Douka kigi tachi dake wa_ (But please, let these trees) Kono omoi wo mamotte (Protect these feelings)  
_Mou ichido dake futari no uede_ (Silently rustling your leaves above us)  
_Sotto ha wo yurashite_ (Just one more time..)

_Yagate toki wa futari wo_ (Before long, the seasons will pass)  
_Doko he yakonde yuku no_ (And we will be taken somewhere else)  
_Tada hitotsu dake tashikana ima wo_ (But right now, there's only one thing I know)  
_Sotto dakishimeteita_ (Embrace me, silently)"

"Jidanbou-san! Shikkari shitte kudasai!"

"'HIME, HURRY!"

"Help me! Help me get his arm nearer!"

Still in shock at what had conspired just minutes ago, Karin clenched her fist, eyes still on the closed gate.

How could they do this to their own teammate!? That bastard!

_"Yuki keshou madoe wa omoi hagurete_ (Covered by the snow, the feelings get lost)  
_Ashiato mo keshiteku otonaki itazura_ (The footprints vanish, sounds disappear in vain)

_Douka kigi tachi dake wa_ (But please, let these trees)  
_Kono omoi wo mamotte_ (Protect these feelings)  
_"Eien" no naka futari todomete_ (So that, frozen in eternity)  
_Koko ni iki tsudukete_ (We may live on here)"

The residents of Rukongai begin to trickle out of their houses to help them heal the fallen Jidanbou.

At least some of them were still redeemable, Karin thought to herself as she pushed the large decapitated black-clad arm towards the fallen shinigami.

"Shun Shun Rikka! I reject!"

_"Meguru kigi tachi dakega_ (The trees around us told us in silence)  
_Futari wo miteita no_ (That we would both see)  
_Hito dokoro ni wa todomare nai to Sotto oshie nagara_ (People don't have to be limited to one place)

_Sakurairo maukoro, watashi wa hitori_ (When the cherryblossom colors flutter, I'm alone)  
_Anata he no omoi wo kamishimeta mama_ (Savoring my thoughts of you)"

Gomen ne, Ichi-nee, Karin thought to herself, shooting another glare at the gate.

You'll have to wait a little longer.

* * *

Golden-brown eyes opened, a calculative gleam in the narrowed eyes.

She touched the ward on her neck, which acted as a seal for her powers. Too bad the Gotei 13 didn't know that she had another much stronger seal on her already. One that can be reactivated or deactivated at her will. This seal on her neck is nothing compared to the other one that she had put upon herself. It would be all too easy to remove this seal when the right time comes.

The zanpaktou that Kurosaki Ichigo surrendered was actually a practice sword. Her own real zanpaktou hummed within her blood, ready to break out at her summon. Ready to serve her in her cause.

**Tsuzuku**

I completed this earlier than I've expected despite the fact I've already drafted it. However, the next chapter is currently at 0 level of completion so it's definitely going to take a litle longer this time.


	9. Break In & Out

**Chapter 9 - Break In & Out**

"Shiba Kuukaku's house is very noticeable."

The moment Yoruichi said that, Karin caught sight of the said house and let her jaw drop in disbelief.

It was crappier than her inner world!

"I don't wanna go in there!" she ranted silently, clutching her head in horror."It'll be damn embarassing!'

"No kidding," for the first time, the pencil-thin Ishida agreed with her.

And not for the first time, Karin thought that the world is about to come to an end.

* * *

_"Travel to the moon  
kimi wa nemuri yume wo toku (_You're asleep, as you work out your dreams_)  
Daremo inai hoshi no hikari ayatsuri nagara" (_There's no one here while the light of the stars toys with me)

To say that the occupants of Seireitei has come to appreciate the somewhat unexpected musical talent of the newest inmate would be an understatement. Everytime the soft voice started, everyone within hearing distance would stop to listen, as if drawn in by a siren's song.

What used to be a dreary and serious Court, was now filled with a calming atmosphere woven by the alluring voice and hypnotic words.

_""Tsuyoku naru tame wasureta egao (_In order to become strong I have to remember how to smile)  
_Kitto futari nara torimodosu" (_If we're together, I can do it_)_

Ukitake Jyuushiro, finally back from a long medical leave, stopped in his step as the song drifted towards him. Who, he wondered, is that? Who sang so loudly and beautifully?

_"Kizuite (_Realize that...)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Ima to wa chigau mirai ga atte mo (_Even if the future is different from now)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Sakebi tsuzukete (_I keep on shouting)  
_Kitto kokoro wa tsunagu ito wo tagutteru (_I'm sure all I have to do is pull in the thread that connects our hearts)  
_Ano koro no watashi me wo samasu you ni (_So the person I was back then would open her eyes)  
_No need to cry"_

Ukitake blinked, as if woken from a dream. He was getting distracted. He urgently needed to go to the Soutaichou about Rukia! Why was he not informed earlier?

Trying not to get distracted again by the melodious singing, he hurried on.

* * *

_"Travel in silence  
te wo nobaseba fureru no ni (_I can reach you if I stretch out my hands_)  
Kimi wa tooi (_The only memory I have of you_)  
sore wa omoide no naka no koto" (_Is so far away)

Introductions to the Shiba clan was... interesting to say the least. Shiba Kuukaku was... scary. A formidable woman with great strength, but scary nonetheless. And Shiba Ganju... Ganju is just plain dumb, Karin decided, focusing on the object held in her hands.

"We're ready," Karin announced, glancing around those surrounding the crystal. 'Hime-chan, Ishida, Chad, Yoruichi-san and Ganju all nodded.

"Don't die, idiots," Kuukaku warned, closing the portal to the cannon from the outside.

"We won't," Karin said, conviction gleaming in her eyes, "My sister is waiting for us."

_"Koe ga kikoeru me wo tojireba (_I can hear your voice if I close my eyes_)  
Chiisa na itami sae itoshikute" (_Even a little pain would be nice)

* * *

The ball of power hit the barrier surrounding Seireitei with a resonance that trembled throughout the Court.

The group of Shinigami present nearest to the impact gaped at the sight.

"What is this?!" Hisagi Shuuhei asked in bewilderment as the ground shook.

Then the barrier broke, shattering into a million pieces as the ball of light crossed the boundary.

Not far from the site of impact, Ichigo smiled to herself. Fingering the seal one more time, she decided that all pretense was now off.

_"Mitsumete (_Look at me)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Kaze ni fukare hitori mayotte mo (_Even if you get lost, blown away by the wind)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Sora wo miagete (_I look up at the sky)  
_Zutto kokoro wa te wo hirogete mamotteru (_I was protecting my heart with outstretched hands_)  
Ano koro no kimi ga furikaeru made (_Until the person you were back then looked back_)  
No need to cry"_

Karin groaned as she spat out sand, slowly climbing out of the pit that Ganju made.

Just her luck that she's now stuck with the least reliable one of them all.

when she looked up a second later to see sandaled feet, shinigami uniform, an annoyingly smug smirk and an extremely bald head, she cursed her luck to the seven hells and back.

Of course, out of all of them, she had to be the one to run into an idiot who can't dance to save his own ass.

God, someone just kill her now to end her suffering!

_"(feel something feel nothing  
Listen closely listen closely)  
Wide open ears  
Disarm the dream tickler  
In the constant moment  
(you will find me where it's quiet  
Listen closely listen closely)  
Let the blood flow  
Through all the spaces  
Of the universe"_

The human who stole Kuchiki Rukia's powers and the Research Department's vice captain stared at each other impassively.

Why Mayuri-sama is interested in her, Nemu had no idea but the crazed scientist had ordered her to get the prisoner to the 12th division, after muttering something about swords and manufacturers.

The redhead was fingering the suppressive seal wrapped around her neck, as Nemu and the guards waited for the prisoner to get up to follow them to the Research Department.

The Kurosaki girl just looked at them with half-lidded eyes and smirked.

"I'm afraid that I won't be going with you."

Nemu blinked.

"I will let no one touch my powers."

Nemu's stared in disbelief as the young lady actually tore the seal away with one hand, as if it was nothing more than a cheap trinket.

Seireitei rumbled as the explosion that took place shook the grounds.

Nemu got up unsteadily unto her feet, pushing away the debris that had fallen upon her. Then, she gasped and fell back onto her knees.

Heavy strong reiatsu bore down upon her relentlessly, leaving her breathless. She gasped for air as she lifted her head, clutching at her neck.

Kurosaki Ichigo was staring down at the gathering shinigami, face once again impassive. Around her, several long strips of white cloth about 2 inches wide hovered over her protectively. It was the materialisation of her full powers.

Then swiftly turning away, she disappeared.

_"Kizuite (_Realize that...)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Ima to wa chigau mirai ga atte mo (_Even if the future is different from now)  
_I'm here waiting for you  
Sakebi tsuzukete (_I keep on shouting)  
_Kitto kokoro wa tsunagu ito wo tagutteru (_I'm sure all I have to do is pull in the thread that connects our hearts)  
_Ano koro no watashi me wo samasu you ni (_So the person I was back then would open her eyes)  
_No need to cry"_

Tsuzuku

I'm beginning to feel as if i'm writing song fics now. Will try to cut down the songs now. Sorry I took longer than expected. With my part time job and my exams at the beginning of the month, things were getting out of hand. And real life has been screaming for my attention lately so i will be very much preoccupied. Update will probably only come once a month. Review and they might continue faster. Heh.

The song is "A Little Pain" by Olivia.

Ciao till next time.

P.S. if there's any corrections that I need to make, pls tell me and I'll do so in the next available moment. Sankyuu!


	10. Intruders

**Chapter 10 - Intruders**

Okay, maybe her luck is a little redeemable, Karin decided, looking down at the KO-ed baldy.

Her control of her zanpaktou was somewhat lacking, as Urahara had found out after getting knocked out for the third time. Seriously, it wasn't her fault that her unpredictable shikai always aimed for the head. Though control aside, more often than not, her zanpaktou matched her temperance and will down to the tee. It was as if they knew what each other are thinking.

Now, Karin's only thought is to reach her sister. Then, to rescue Rukia.

* * *

It took a while for the 11th division's 3rd most strongest to regain consciousness. With a severe headache and a makeshift bandage on his head wound that could not have been done by the 4th division members. So the little twerp of a girl had saved him from dying of overbleeding.

He snorted then closed his eyes as another wave of vertigo hit him. Urgh!

The next time he woke up, he was greeted by a creepy painted face that seriously freaked him out. Damn, this was not something you'd like to see first thing in the morning.

Damn Kurotsuchi and his insanity! Waking him up just to interrogate him on the ryoka. It must have irked the 12th division captain that his original guinea pig had managed to escape from his grasp. From right under his daughter's nose, no less.

Fortunately for the bald shinigami, his captain was nearby to rescue his now-incapacitated subordinate.

"Ikkaku," his captain rumbled, "is she strong?"

"She is," the bald shinigami replied without hesitation, "and will probably get stronger very soon."

The 11th captain grinned.

"But she said that she isn't the most powerful," Ikkaku continued. "Someone else in her group is stronger."

"Is that so?" Zaraki Kenpachi's eerie grin widened in anticipation, "Good. And what might that person's name be?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

* * *

Ichigo held a hand to her mouth as she sneezed. She waved a hand to dissipate the dusts floating around her as she laid the large cloth she had found onto the dusty ground.

Don't shinigami ever clean their store rooms?

Settling on the floor, she settled into a comfortable sitting position to start her meditation. She needed to return to her inner world to reactivate the seal.

Hopefully, no one would bother her for the next few hours while she fought with that troublesome hollow of hers.

* * *

"Ganju!" Karin greeted in relief when he caught sight of the bandanna-ed man running towards her. Then, her relief turned into horror when a load of shinigami appeared behind him, shouting for the ugly brute to stop.

"YOU BLOODY IDIOT!!!! DON'T LEAD THEM THIS WAY!!!" Karin screamed as she screeched to a stop and quickly u-turned to run in the opposite direction.

* * *

Ichigo opened her eyes and was greeted by a series of tall buildings that dominated her inner world. She was standing alone sideways on one of them. Or at least, seemingly alone.

_"Ohh, fancy seeing you here."_

The redhead turned, brown eyes meeting with golden ones framed by pitch-black.

Ichigo almost cringed, just like every time she laid eyes on her other, the inverted copy of herself. White long hair, white shihakusho with hovering white strips, dark eyes with gold pupils and an extremely insane smile.

Was she truly so perverted inside?

_"Aww, dun say that,"_ her copy drawled out, knowing her thoughts clearly. Ichigo ignored the other's high whining voice, eyes looking around for Ossan.

_"So, what does the princess want now?"_ the silver-haired hollow asked, mindlessly swinging the large black sword that was the inverted copy of Zangetsu in her hand. _"Coming all the way here?"_

Without any further ado, Ichigo pulled out Zangetsu.

"Let's fight."

Her hollow manifestation grinned ferally.

_"You're on, bitch!"_

* * *

Hanatarou has always had the habit of second guessing his actions. It was an undesirable trait that he should abandon but alas, habits are habits.

However, this time he would not let himself doubt his decision to help these ryoka, even if they did originally kidnap him in an attempt to escape. That aside, after Hanatarou discovered that their aim was to rescue Rukia-san, he made up his mind to help them the best that he could. After all, it was Rukia-san, who treated him with kindness and who smiled at him and told him various wonderful things. Including things about this Karin-san and Ichigo-san.

He told them that Kurosaki-san, the older one, had escaped not too long ago. With that, Karin decided that they should just head towards where Rukia was currently waiting. Undoubtedly, that would be Ichigo-nee's destination as well.

Thus, this little mismatched group of three headed towards the Tower of Penance when suddenly a familiar redhead appeared before them.

"You're...!?"

* * *

_"F*ck!!!"_

Ichigo turned away from the cursing hollow, to meet face to face with Zangetsu, the man's face in its perpetual impassiveness.

"Yo, ohisashiburi desu ne, Ossan," Ichigo greeted with a cocky grin, raising a hand to wipe the blood away from her right eye. Behind her, just a few yards away, her inverted copy was screeching like a hag as the white strips that perpetually surrounded the hollow bled red and begin to wrap themselves around the white-clad figure, suffocating the being and limiting her powers.

Ichigo and the manifestation of her zanpaktou ignored the racket easily as they sized up each other.

"You've grown stronger again," the black-clad man said needlessly.

Ichigo only smirked. Then, she lifted a bloody palm and laid it on the man's chest.

"Suman ne, Ossan."

An elaborate black seal appeared on the man's exposed chest.

"This will only be until I need your help again," Ichigo explained, still blatantly ignoring the shrieking hollow that had been forcefully sealed minutes ago. Her strips of white was now totally blood red in colour.

Zangetsu closed his eyes, willingly accepting the power-limiting seal.

"I understand."

"I'll see ya again soon, Ossan."

* * *

Karin tried to hold her ground as the red-haired vice captain bore down on her with his sword. Behind her Hanatarou and Ganju looked on as the dark-haired girl parried Abarai-fukutaicho's every strike.

"It's amazing," Hantarou breathed, "She can keep up with Abarai-fukutaichou!"

Then, Karin faltered slightly under the weight of the other shinigami's sword. Taking the opportunity to knock down his opponent, he attempted to unleash his shikai.

"Hoeru, Zabimaru"  
Fortunately for Karin, at that point in time, the two opponents were interrupted by the explosion that blew apart the storage room right next to them.

"What the-"

Renji watched in disbelief as a figure emerged from the rubble, the white strips of cloths whipping about her now slowly bleeding to red and black.

"ICHI-NEE!"

Ganju gaped as the long-haired female waved a hand in front of her to disippate the dust swirling about her.

"Yo, Karin," she smirked, "What a coincidence, eh?"

"That's Kurosaki Ichigo!?" Ganju managed to choke out. She looked so different from her brash younger sister. Tall and sinewy, the young woman looked fragile yet strong and confident. His shout of disbelief attracted her attention.

"Who are you?" the long-haired Kurosaki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm Shiba Ganju!"

"Ah, and?" she asked offhandedly, grabbing one of the hovering black strips close to her to check on her wards. The seals were nearly complete. Ganju blinked at the dismissal as Hanatarou wondered why the two Kurosaki sisters were ignoring the fact that a fukutaicho was currently nearby and was threatening their lives.

"WHY YOU! ARE YOU IGNORING ME!?"

"They helped us get in," Karin interrupted, cutting off Ganju's loud tirade. Ichigo looked back up after checking on her sealing wards. Then she smiled at her sister and the other two dark-haired beings.

"Sou ka. Ja, arigatou gozaimashita," Ichigo said, bowing slightly to the two dark-haired people who had helped her little sister. Then, she turned towards the red-haired vice-captain who was still staring at her in disbelief. Her face turned impassive.

"Abarai-san," she greeted coldly.

"Kurosaki-san," Renji said, "how did you get out?"

The enigmatic young woman smiled.

"I broke out, of course."

"How!? You don't even have your zanpaktou. Nor do you know any Kidou-"

"How do you know?" she interrupted, gesturing for Karin and the other two to stand behind her. Karin opened her mouth to protest but stopped when her older sister shot her a look.

"What do you mean?" Renji asked. How could she know Kidou? She was only a shinigami for a few months. It took years for many of them to even master the skill.

"I mean," Kurosaki Ichigo begin, finally giving him her full attention, "How do you know that I don't have my Zanpaktou."

An eerie smile then stretched across her pink lips.

* * *

Tsuzuku

So sorry for the very extremely late update. I've been pretty busy with my work lately. I will be without internet for the next three months too. T___________T

Sorry for all the cuts in the fighting scenes but in all honesty, i'm absolutely pants at writing fight scenes ^____^ I dun wanna subject my readers to my horrible writing skills in that aspect.


	11. Defeat

**Chapter 11 - Defeat**

Renji tried to ignore the protests his body was making as black spots danced through his blurred vision. Zabimaru was gripped laxly in his blood-soaked hands, in danger of falling onto the ground.

"I can see it in your eyes," Kurosaki Ichigo had whispered to him, when their swords had clashed.

It was unbelievable, the size of her sword, the way she could easily handle it, carry it, swing it, all in one hand as if it had weighed nothing. But it wasn't true, for every time their swords met, Renji could feel the weight of Zangetsu against Zabimaru, it's power and strength. It could almost rival that of Kuchiki-tachou's Senbonsakura.

"You care for her."

At that, he had faltered, creating an opening for his opponent. But to her credit, she didn't take the chance to hurt him. Not physically anyway. Besides, she didn't need dirty tricks to overcome him. It was quite obvious that she could defeat him.

And she did.

All it took was a slash downwards that he tried to block. The strength behind the strike brought him down to his knees.

"If you really care for her, you would do something about it," this was whispered into his ear, almost cruelly. He could barely stand much less lift his head up to look at the other redhead.

"Actions do speak louder than words, Abarai Renji."

He jerked as his opponent pulled away, her sword making a soft clang as it slid from his bleeding shoulder to the ground carelessly.

"You don't understand," he bit out through clenched teeth, "I'm not... don't deserve-"

"Silly man, let her be the judge of that," she said nonchalantly, her sword disappearing in a swirl of black and red. Obviously, she knew that she had won, almost effortlessly. She also knew that they should retreat as soon as possible. There was several reiatsu heading their way.

She turned to leave but Renji stopped her with a sudden shout and lunge that surprised even her. He grabbed her shoulder and pleaded her:

"Please save her."

Ichigo didn't manage to say anything before the other redhead fell unconscious.

"Idiot," she reprimanded softly, sending the wards around her to quell his bleeding wound, "you should do it yourself... or she won't understand."

-----------

Fifteen seconds later, Kira found his fellow vice-captain, lying on the ground unconscious with a large wound slashing across his shoulder and chest. The court showed signs of a large battle but what was more telling was the bi-coloured wards around his ex-schoolmate's thorax, stopping him from losing too much blood.

------------

"Go! Don't stop until you reach the tower!" Ichigo shouted behind them as they race up the stairs.

"Yosh!" Ganju shouted in reply enthusiastically. It seemed that the fight between the two redheads had fueled his zeal in this rescue mission.

Ichigo smiled grimly while Karin rolled her eyes. Beside them, the poor little 4th division Hanatarou was panting and gasping, hardpressed to follow their pace.

Ichigo was the last in line, keeping an eye out for the others as they made their way towards the white looming tower that held their friend captive.

It took only seconds before she felt it, nearly making her stumble in her step.

Never before had she felt such a powerful killing intent. The others too felt it, for they really did stumble onto their knees.

"What the hell!?"

"Kuso! Who the hell is emitting this ridiculously high spiritual pressure!?"

Ichigo, the only one standing now, turned around to see a giant of a man whose face was scar-filled grin nastily at them.

"Guys," she said slowly, cautiously, "get up and keep going."

"Ichi-nee," Karin started but was waved away.

"He's too strong," her redheaded sister said, "all of you will only get in the way."

As if understanding her words, Ganju quickly made short work of the passed out Hanatarou and quickly pulled the other dark-haired shinigami along, fearing for their collective lives should those two high-powered shinigami clash when they were still within vicinity.  
"So, you're Kurosaki Ichigo," the spiky-haired giant rumbled, his dark eye gleaming with bloodlust. Ichigo nodded, eyes never leaving the 11th division captain. Without any hesitation, she summoned her sword, knowing without a doubt what the large shinigami wanted.

If it was a fight he wanted, a fight was what he would get.

---------------------------

Seireitei will never recover from this, Yoruichi, still in her cat form, thought to herself. She watched as another building collapse as black figure ploughed through it. Her eyes could easily identify her student, her bright hair like a beacon to those who knew what to look for.

The idiot was still in her Shikai form, even knowing that she couldn't possibly defeat a captain without accessing her full powers.

But then again, it would be easier to spirit Ichigo away without attracting too much attention. With that decided, Yoruichi was about to jump towards the fight when a burst of reiatsu erupted from her student.

Oh, great. It looks like she spoke too soon.

--------------------------

Ichigo put her entire strength into her attack as she slashed towards the large captain's direction, willing her reiatsu to strike out. A weaker version of her Getsuga Tenshou erupted from Zangetsu's blade, spinning out like a boomerang to hit her intended target. Normally, given the power level she put into the attack, it would be enough to at least amputate a menos grande.

But the 11th captain was only slightly scratched in the chest from the encounter with her attack. As she had expected, she thought grimly, quickly dodging another attack that would have taken her head if she was even a second slower.

Her superior speed gave her the advantage but each swing that the captain made was lethal. If she don't resort to her bankai, which she would prefer not to as it would garner too much attention, she would have to think of something.

Or hope she gets lucky.

---------------------------

In the end, it wasn't luck that ended the fight.

It was desperation.

Something had distracted her in that instant. The instant Zaraki Kenpachi's sword pierced through the air towards her heart.

**_LET ME OUT!!! F*CKING B*TCH!!!_**

In that moment, everything went awry.

----------------------------

Just a second of carelessness was enough to nearly cause her to forfeit her life. She had only time to shift enough so that the blade would miss her vital organs.

And as Zaraki's zanpaktou made it's way through her chest, she grabbed onto his hand and brought down her sword onto the captain's head.

But she didn't kill him, for he too managed to dodge her strike though not entirely. It was, however, enough to cause him damage to the shoulder of his sword arm.

When they broke apart and surveyed each other, they knew then that the subsequent strike would be the last for either of them.

Predictably, Kenpachi was the first to charge, a goddamned grin stretched wide on his gleeful face. Ichigo braced herself, knowing exactly what she should do to end this now.

In the last instant before their swords collided, Ichigo focused her entire reiatsu into her zanpaktou and feel it flow back into her.

'Come on, Ossan. We're not going to lose to a guy who doesn't even know his partner's name*!'

"BANKAI!"

The power concentration was enough to snap dark-haired shinigami's sword and to disable the captain. Ichigo immediately released her form just as the other shinigami collapsed. She knew she couldn't linger, for surely, others would have felt that burst of reiatsu.

Using the walls to prop herself up, she made her way towards the direction her sister had gone, all the while pressing a hand on her wound. Ichigo gasped in pain as she made her way through the maze that was Seireitei. The jagged blade had pierced too close to her heart and she was losing too much blood.

The strawberry blonde slumped down to the side of a building and tried to quell the blood with her wards but she was already losing hold of her consciousness.

The last thing she saw before darkness engulfed her was a pair of golden eyes framed with black fur.

"Sensei..."

**Tsuzuku**

* she meant, the name of his zanpaktou, a shinigami's 'partner'

I know I promised to update asap when I return but I haven't been able to get myself into finishing this chapter. I'm currently writing another story which is HP/LOTR, you can find it at my profile (blatant self-promotion ;op)

And I know that the fight between Zaraki and Ichigo is different but seriously, I forgot how it went and I don't have the manga with me ;op Anyway, since this is not the highlight of the story, I hope it will suffice. Again, if there's any glaring mistake, pls inform me. Thank you.


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